(Football news) Fulham are wrapping up their business pretty fast this summer transfer window as they agreed a £17 million fee for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Palhinha. The defensive midfielder is wanted by several top European clubs this summer but it looks like that the newly promoted Premier League side are close to securing his signature. However, Palhinha hasn’t agreed any personal terms with the club as interest from Wolves, who already have several Portuguese players on their books,has enticed him a lot. Palhinha is seen as a perfect replacement for the departing Ruben Neves as he is being linked to Manchester United, Arsenal, and Barcelona. Now it will be up to Palhinha to decide where he wants to play next season, keeping in mind he has to get regular playing time before the World Cup in November.
Palhinha played a vital role for Sporting Lisbon club as they secured second spot in the Primeira Liga last season, making 27 appearances and scoring three goals. The 26-year-old also featured in all of Sporting's Champions League games, where they reached the last 16 after a long time before succumbing to Manchester City. Palhinha could become the latest Portugal player to move to the Premier League, with Wolves and Fulham both leading the race for the central defensive midfielder. The Cottagers have agreed a fee of €17m plus add-ons for the midfielder but a similar offer is matched by Wolves.
It is now up to the player to decide which club he would sign for. Interestingly, both teams are coached by Portuguese coaches, with Bruno Lage at Wolves and Marco Silva in charge of Fulham. Palhinha is known for his big presence in the midfield as he is one of the very few midfielders in world football who can currently safeguard the defense by sitting in front of the two central defenders. He is also known for his prescenes during set pieces as he stands at 6ft 3. Many other big clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City and PSG scouted him for a while but if he joins these big clubs he might not get regular playing time, hence, for his career it is good he will move to Fulham or Wolves
Also read: Vitinha agrees personal terms with PSG amid Manchester United interest
