The midfielder turned up in Tottenham’s first win of 2026.
Tottenham Hotspur have been pondering the possibility of signing midfielder Joao Palhinha on a permanent transfer when the summer comes around.
The former Fulham star initially moved to Hotspur Way on a loan transfer as Daniel Levy secured his signature, given the need to bring in a new midfielder at Tottenham who would not only add some sense of physicality but also be a rock presence in front of the back line.
Now the Portuguese international entered through the doors at Hotspur Way. And he has proven to be a reliable player in the second phase over the past months. We saw a glimpse of that in Tottenham’s 1-0 win over Wolves (where he got an 8/10 rating) at the weekend when the 30-year-old stepped up with the goods when it was much needed at N17.
Despite his match-winning contributions, there is still no sense of assurance that he will be donning the Spurs badge next season, given Tottenham feels that the pre-agreed €25-30m asking fee is a tad too much for an ageing midfielder.
And there has been plenty of noise surrounding his performances at Tottenham. If you walk into a pub, you generally find yourself in a debate about whether Tottenham should commit to a permanent deal for signing.
The Portuguese midfielder has found a sense of consistency in an inconsistent season at Tottenham
Now it has been quite an inconsistent campaign at Hotspur Way. There have been three managers on the sidelines with the squad craving a sense of consistency, and that is exactly what Palhinha has delivered.
He has produced the most goals among Tottenham midfielders, alongside being a percentile in tackles as well as duels won. And it doesn’t end there. He also has the highest average rating among the players operating in the second phase, showing how he is not drifting through the games but at least trying to impose himself in them.
These numbers matter because while there have been all the debates on the outside, Palhinha has been quietly being the balance in the midfield that Tottenham really needed.
So why is Tottenham second-guessing Palhinha’s transfer?
Despite all of that, his future at N17 still remains uncertain. And that could quite be down to the age component, as there is a chance that Johan Lange & Co. would rather prefer to bring in someone who is younger and can bring a sense of composure for years to come, as it would not be ideal for Tottenham to invest such a massive fee (and wages) in someone who is on the wrong side of their thirties.
Do you think Tottenham should sign Joao Palhinha on a permanent transfer?