Liverpool want to sign Fulham destroyer Joao Palhinha but a possible deal may hinge on the actions of a Tottenham Hotspur midfielder.
Jürgen Klopp is thought to be a huge admirer of Palhinha and is hoping to make the Portugal international his new no.6, having missed out on Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo earlier this summer. The pair joined Chelsea after being linked with moves to Anfield but Klopp is confident he can land his third-choice option. Liverpool do face competition from Bayern Munich however, and reports in Germany suggest the player has already verbally agreed terms with the German giants.
Palhinha, 28, was Fulham's star midfielder last term after joining from Sporting in the summer of 2022. His positioning, tough-tackling and habit of scoring the odd vital goal made him an instant fan-favourite at Craven Cottage. He's been in form against this term, rescuing a point for his side in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal last weekend.
Amid the growing interest around him, Palhinha has reportedly already informed Silva and club officials that he wants to leave. His manager appreciates this could be a life-changing move for the deep-lying midfielder but will only sanction a deal if a replacement can be brought in first.
Fulham's first-choice Palhinha replacement is thought to be Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, 28, who has been made available for transfer by Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou. Hojbjerg would bring bags of Premier League experience and leadership to a Fulham side which has already lost star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer.
Hojbjerg is valued at around £30 million by Tottenham, which would not be prohibitive given Fulham are likely to receive north of £70m for Palhinha.
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