da poker： West Ham United have their sights set on Joao Palhinha and are now preparing to make an initial offer for the player, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Are West Ham United signing Joao Palhinha?
da bwin： The Portugal international, who currently stars for Fulham, had an excellent first campaign in the Premier League in 2022/23. The Cottagers surprised many by not battling near the relegation zone after their promotion from the Championship and instead bursting into the top ten in the top flight. Palhinha had a key role to play in that success, as he featured on 35 occasions for the club in the league and even bagged three goals along the way.
Not only did he produce a joint-best individual year in terms of his goal haul but he also had plenty to contribute in defence too. When you compare Palhinha to others in his position amongst the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues in Europe, he is one of the most eye-catching prospects out there at the moment. With a superb rate of 4.26 tackles per 90, it means that he sits in the top one percent in that area for midfielders. With 2.06 aerials won too, he also sits in the top eight per cent for that category.
The 27-year-old then has certainly caught the eye of other clubs and it's the Irons who are the most heavily linked. According to reliable journalist Romano, an initial opening bid be made soon. He states that the Hammers are lining up an offer and that he is seen as a good replacement for Declan Rice, who appears to be heading out of the exit door.
Romano said: "West Ham are preparing their first approach for João Palhinha. Not an easy deal with Fulham but he's top of the list for West Ham to replace Declan Rice. Edson Alvarez remains in list but Borussia Dortmund are pushing to agree personal terms after proposal sent."
What is Joao Palhinha's transfer value?
There is no potential fee or asking price mentioned in terms of a bid and although CIES Football Observatory suggest that his value could be about 20 million Euros (or £17m), one would expect that to be much higher in reality considering the Cottagers paid £20m for the player last summer and he's only gotten better since.
It could well be worth splashing out big though when you consider how well he has performed. He's been hailed for his form in the Premier League for example, with football journalist Josh Bunting calling the midfielder "outstanding" and adding that he is "top class" in a variety of different areas. David Moyes then would no doubt love to add such a fantastic player to his side and if he can get a deal done, the worries over a Rice departure might ease for the Hammers.