£26m “monster” wants to officially sign for Spurs

The summer break provides the Tottenham Hotspur persuasion with some much-needed respite after such a draining year in the Premier League.

Spurs did avoid relegation after defeating Everton on the final day of the season, and Roberto De Zerbi’s impact since replacing Igor Tudor during the March international break offers confidence for fans who fear further struggles over the next year.

Tottenham have impressed over the latter stages of the campaign, especially during back-to-back away wins in the Midlands. And what’s more, ENIC Group are showing improvements in regard to their transfer strategy.

The window is not yet open, but Spurs are already anticipating the arrival of two new defenders, shoring up that porous defence before turning to other departments.

Premier League star says yes to Spurs

Cristian Romero is expected to leave Tottenham this summer, and Atletico Madrid are considered among the frontrunners for the captain.

The Argentine’s countryman, Marcos Senesi, is set to arrive in north London following the expiry of his Bournemouth contract, and Andy Robertson is also bound for the capital at the end of his Liverpool journey.

These are shrewd signings, but De Zerbi could oversee the arrival of a proven Premier League star who would be shrewder still.

According to TEAMtalk, Joao Palhinha is primed to sign for Tottenham on a permanent basis this summer, despite proposals from Portugal’s top outfits.

Indeed, the report suggests that the experienced star ‘will say yes’ to joining, amid rival interest from Porto, Benfica and former club Sporting CP.

Palhinha, 30, has been one of the brightest sparks for the Lilywhites this season, and given that they have an option to buy for £26m, this is one that will surely cross the finish line in the coming weeks.

He’s unique and influential, perfect within De Zerbi’s set-up. Given that he has already played a season down N17 as a loanee, Palhinha could even mimic Dejan Kulusevski in settling down at the club for good.

Why Palhinha can be Spurs’ new Kulusevski

It was Palhinha who stepped up and scored the goal that confirmed Tottenham’s Premier League status, a fitting conclusion to a loan spell that probably made the difference for Spurs in their fight for survival.

The tough-tackling midfielder has been immense throughout the campaign, lacking the flowing passing that his club have missed this year but still bringing something crucial to the system, winning 5.8 duels on average each game, coming in at a success rate of 62%.

Unlike his previous two seasons in the Premier League with Fulham, Palhinha did not finish the campaign having won more tackles than anyone else in the division. Saying that, he played five fewer matches than the leader, Everton’s James Garner.

Palhinha might not share many technical properties with Kulusevski, who has not played competitive football since April 2025, but he has made an impact during his short-term stay in London, and now looks set to shore up Spurs’ midfield for good on a permanent basis, labelled a “defensive monster” by recruitment analyst Marcus Bring.

Of course, the Portugal international’s capacity to spring up with attacking contributions is an underrated feature of his game. He scored five goals and supplied two assists for Spurs in the Premier League, showcasing acrobatics and tenacity to provide where his so-called attacking teammates have failed.

Given that Spurs have missed Kulusevski’s energy and dynamism for the duration of the term, this has been a surprising and welcome bonus. It’s crucial that Palhinha remains at the club, that he is allowed to continue to reinforce Spurs’ midfield – hopefully with fresh creative quality around him next year.

Kulusevski could prove a perfect counterpoint in Tottenham’s engine room; the duo could work well in tandem. The main thing is that Palhinha has proved while on loan that he has so much to offer De Zerbi’s side, and ENIC need to get it done.