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Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Joao Palhinha is wanted by Turkish giants Besiktas, who have ‘initiated moves’ to take him to Istanbul in the summer transfer window.
The 30-year-old joined Spurs on loan last summer from Bayern Munich after falling out of Vincent Kompany’s plans in Germany.
Palhinha has made 40 appearances for Spurs, scoring six goals and registering three assists, one of the highest tallies in an underperforming Spurs side.
Although Palhinha was a reliable starter under previous managers Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, he has yet to start under Roberto De Zerbi, coming off the bench in all three matches under him.
He still proved crucial on Saturday against Wolves at Molineux, coming on as a substitute in the 62nd minute to score the only goal of the match, sealing the first win of the De Zerbi tenure and Spurs’ first victory of the year.
Despite the win, Tottenham remain in the relegation zone, two points behind West Ham United in 17th, and with only four matches to go, their top-flight status is in serious danger.
Tottenham would like to keep hold of Palhinha, but are not keen on meeting the €25m option to buy they negotiated with Bayern Munich and want to push the price down.
Game
Competition
Gaziantep (A)
Super Lig
Konyaspor (N)
Turkish Cup
Trabzonspor (H)
Super Lig
Rizespor (A)
Super Lig
Besiktas’ remaining games
Bayern Munich are not planning to reintegrate him into their squad, with their midfield options already substantial, such as Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic.
Now Besiktas are looking to scoop up Palhinha and have ‘initiated moves’ to line up a deal, according to Turkish daily Sabah (via A Spor).
The Black Eagles also have Eric Martel and Ibrahim Sangare on their shortlist as options for the defensive midfield role, with the latter’s club Nottingham Forest facing relegation worries in the Premier League, presenting another situation the Turkish giants could capitalise on.
Spurs’ final league position is expected to be decisive in determining whether a deal for Palhinha becomes feasible, as Besiktas look to take advantage of the uncertainty surrounding his situation.
In the event of relegation, the Lilywhites could be forced to part ways with Palhinha and convincing him to play in the Championship would be a major challenge.
Even if that were to happen, the financial implications would present another obstacle, potentially opening the door further for Besiktas to step in.