Rui Borges wants João Palhinha at Sporting now, but there's a snag | OneFootball

João Palhinha remains Sporting’s top priority to strengthen the midfield, but Rui Borges fears that the complexity of the process could drag the negotiations out for much of the transfer window. The Sporting coach has already made it clear internally that he would like to have the Portugal international from the start of the season, avoiding the squad’s adaptation being prolonged beyond what is desired.

The Lions have already secured the signings of Rodrigo Zalazar, Pedro Lima, Issa Doumbia and Silas Andersen, but they want to add another defensive midfielder to the group. With the departures of Hidemasa Morita and Daniel Bragança, as well as the likely transfer of Morten Hjulmand, the arrival of a new ‘6’ is considered essential by the green-and-white hierarchy.

Rui Borges sees Palhinha as a signing capable of going straight into the team. In addition to his knowledge of the Club, the coach believes the midfielder would adapt almost immediately to the team’s dynamics, unlike some of the signings already made, who will need more time to absorb the playing principles during pre-season.

However, the process is far from simple. Bayern Munich remain a key party in the negotiations and Tottenham have also not given up on keeping the midfielder. Despite not activating the purchase option set at €30 million, the English club is trying to find a solution that would allow them to continue counting on the player.

According to the available information, João Palhinha enjoyed the experience in London and maintains a good relationship with the Spurs coaching staff. Even so, the desire to return to Portugal for family reasons continues to weigh on the player’s decision, and he is said to have shown willingness to review some of the contractual terms he currently has.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.