Fulham vice chairman and director of football Tony Khan has taken to Twitter to quash Talksport’s breathless reporting of a potential release clause in Joao Palhinha’s contract.
The Wireless ownership group radio station quickened pulses amongst the Fulham fanbase this afternoon by claiming that the Portuguese international had a clause in his Craven Cottage contract that would make it easier for West Ham to sign the defensive midfielder, who starred in his first campaign in the Premier League after his £17m switch from Sporting Lisbon last summer.
Palhinha had publicly spoken of his intention to stay with the Whites last weekend but several English outlets, including the Daily Mail and the Guardian, ran stories last week suggesting that the Hammers’ Europa Conference League triumph would make it easier for the Hammers to lure their ‘top target’ to the London Stadium. The Whites are preparing to play hardball with any suitors for their key players over the summer with their only intention being to strengthen Marco Silva’s squad for their second season in the top flight.
Palhinha has another four years to run on his Fulham deal, with the Cottagers holding an option to trigger a further twelve-month extension. The 27 year-old was the leading tackler in the English top flight last season and scored four goals in forty appearances as the Whites surpassed the pre-season predictions of a fight against relegation to finish tenth.
