Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha has arrived in Munich to prepare for a medical ahead of his proposed move to Bayern Munich, but the deal remains contingent on the Whites signing a replacement for the Portuguese international before the German transfer window closes at 5pm.
Various reports in Germany cite the fee for Palhinha, who has been pivotal to Fulham’s progress under Marco Silva since signing from Sporting last summer, at between £60m and £65m. But the deal, which would be a club record sale hot on the heels of the departure of Aleksandar Mitrovic earlier this month, could still be scuppered by the lack of available replacements. The Evening Standard reports that Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg is not keen on a move to Craven Cottage and a move for Manchester United-bound Sofyan Amrabat has also floundered. Alex Iwobi, currently at Motspur Park is not a replacement for the man who has made the most Premier League tackles both last term and this one.
Palhinha, who scored the late equaliser that earned ten-man Fulham a point at Arsenal on Saturday and converted a penalty in the shoot-out that saw Silva’s side eliminate Spurs from the League Cup three days ago, has made 43 appearances for the Whites and scored five goals.
Tony Khan is a moron!
How can Fulham let 2 of their best players leave with no plan in place to replace them?
Why would the players they’ve been linked with want to come? Showing zero ambition
In a relegation fight if this happens…
Should have told him he can’t go until January and left it at that. Selling your best players in a transfer window is one thing. Selling them on the last day and then rushing around in desperation for a replacement (which can only end up being someone inferior for an inflated price) is quite another.
We’re going to end up watching Scott McTominay give the ball away all year at this rate.
A assume we still need to find a proper replacement for Palhinha before the german window closes for this deal to go through? I am sure recruitment have it covered : D
Tony Khan usually gets myself and others back on side by the end of deadline day, when despite the delay, he brings in the players we need. There is no chance of that happening this year, we’ve spent poorly and sold our two best players. The fee for Palhinha is pitiful as well.
I can’t see how anyone can justify him remaining in his post anymore.
Tony Khan out!
He clearly wants to leave, so it’s pointless keeping him.
No one is indispensable, there’s always someone else.
He doesn’t want to play for the club and wear the shirt, so get as much money as possible for him and draw a line under it.
As far as I’m concerned, bon voyage and good riddance!
Why all the negativity? We won’t sell him if we haven’t signed a replacement. The bid from Bayern only came in a couple of days ago and we have already rebuffed West Ham and Liverpool However if a player wants to leave – and why wouldn’t Palhinha want to play for Bayern? – we can’t do more than get the maximum money. Did anybody blame Al Fayed when Saha left us for Man U?
We never have been a big club so we are always going to struggle to hold on to our best players. The way I see it we have been lucky to have had Palhinha for a season. If you want to support a team that can keep hold of its players start supporting C*****a or move to Saudi Arabia.
Spot on Nick, Palhinha is an exceptional player and Fulham were always going to struggle to keep hold of him. Personally, I’d never knock a player for leaving Fulham to go play for a top side in the Champions League, especially one as big as Bayern. This the reality of today I’m afraid.
surely we cant of sold him for 65 eur ? rice 100 plus caicedo 100 plus
surely we could of got at least 80 for him , top top CDM and sad to see him leave just after 1 year , we all knew the first game against liverpool what a player he was
i just hope we bring in the right replacements as jeez we always leave it late
If we are going to keep selling our best players then it’s time to reduce our ticket prices to match our inferior team .Palhina has a long-standing contract and we should not be letting him go after just one year, we are not going to attract good players when we keep letting our best players go, why aren’t we giving Reed a new contract? I see we are now trying to get Bailly on a free that says it all about our ambitions with TK and his recruitment team, so far we have spent about 24 m and Mitro and Palhina will bring in 110 m so why are we scrambling around on the last day again trying to bring in inferior players.
It’s a disaster for Fulham as now no great midfielder and no great centre forward…what are the management doing a new stand and now selling out the supporters…relegation here we come .
And I can’t see Marko signing a new contract now and I would not criticise him.
Tony Khan stick to wrestling and put someone else in charge.
I honestly can’t see a replacement coming in today for Palhinha so because of that fact Fulham will have to square up to Bayern and tell them to come back in January when we will have more time to identify a suitable replacement.
No-one has criticised the greedy money grabbing agents. Mo Sallah now having his head turned. How can you replace a class play in such short notice
Yea an inconvenience for João but he will get over it.
COYWs??
He’s staying, and I’m happy, but worry that this will mess with his head. Also, we should be ready with a replacement in January because either Bayern or someone else will come for him again.