In a recent tweet, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano mentioned that West Ham United are preparing to move in for Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha. It has been stated that the Hammers are open to launching a move for the Portuguese sensation in this off-season.
Palhinha’s Impressive Form In The Premier League
Palhinha enjoyed a great campaign at the London club as he was one of their most consistent performers in the Premier League. The Portuguese midfield ace made 40 appearances for the Cottagers last season, scoring four goals in the process across multiple competitions.
The 27-year-old has been a decent performer at the heart of Fulham’s midfield and deserves a ton of credit for averaging 4.2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 1.7 clearances and 1.1 shots per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He even distributed the ball accurately from midfield after making 83% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
Palhinha’s current deal at Craven Cottage will run out in the summer of 2027. Therefore, West Ham will find it difficult to land him on the cheap later this year.
Should West Ham United Boss David Moyes Go For Palhinha?
Palhinha can get stuck in with some crunching tackles to make life difficult for the opposition at the centre of the park. He can make a few important interceptions for his side and doesn’t mind clearing the danger when needed.
The Portuguese playmaker can also shoot the ball with venom from long range and has got the vision to orchestrate a few decent chances in the final third. He is a good dribbler with the ball as well and would fit David Moyes’ needs quite well at West Ham ahead of the new season.
Palhinha is good enough to serve as an ideal replacement for Declan Rice who is expected to leave the East London club this summer. He will also offer some serious competition for Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta at the London Stadium in the coming seasons.
At 27, Palhinha is playing in his prime at the moment and would be a great choice for David Moyes to consider this summer. All in all, West Ham would be wise to go for the Portuguese midfielder as he could help them push for European football next season.
