Roberto De Zerbi has made no secret of his admiration for Joao Palhinha following the midfielder’s recent performances, and the Tottenham boss has now publicly addressed whether he wants the Bayern Munich loanee to remain in north London permanently.
Roberto De Zerbi will obviously be pleased with what he has been seeing from his players on the pitch in recent weeks, as there has been a clear improvement in performances since he took charge of Tottenham.
The game against Aston Villa was definitely the pinnacle of it all, with Spurs showing intensity and determination from start to finish, building on their 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers – a performance that was far from convincing.
At the heart of that display were several players, but there is no denying that the midfield pivot of Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha was a major contributor.
Roberto De Zerbi sends clear Joao Palhinha transfer message
The two players showed great character in midfield, with Bentancur offering composure on the ball while Palhinha brought grit and steel, constantly looking to win duels and cover ground.
Palhinha’s future, though, remains up in the air as he is currently on loan from Bayern Munich. Spurs Web has since reported that the 31-year-old has a £21m option-to-buy clause in his contract should Tottenham look to make the move permanent.
We also recently revealed that Tottenham are looking to sign Palhinha permanently, with reports claiming he has no future in Munich, although Spurs will reportedly try to secure a discount.
Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi has now openly revealed his stance on the midfielder’s future, telling Football.London, whether he wants Spurs to sign Palhinha permanently.
When asked whether he wanted Tottenham to keep Joao Palhinha, De Zerbi said: “100%. We have to start from this type of people. More than players, we need reliable people and players and Palhinha is one of the best, as a player for sure but as a guy.
“I want to see players have the same personality, attitude and spirit and we are lucky to have him.”
Spurs face a decision over Joao Palhinha future
Palhinha certainly brings experience and passion to the squad, and there is no denying his influence in the last few games.
Against Wolves, he was the match-winner, while at Villa, he showed how effective he can be even without scoring.
Of course, if the Tottenham boss wants him to remain at the club, there will be little argument against that, but the big question is whether Spurs will be willing to spend £21m on a midfielder already beyond his peak years.
Spurs Web also recently revealed Palhinha’s stance on staying at Spurs permanently, reporting that he is open to doing so even if Tottenham are relegated.
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