Fulham vice chairman Tony Khan says the club would be open to offers ‘that make sense’ for Portuguese midfielder Joao Palhinha.
The 28 year-old, who has starred in his two seasons in the Premier League since an £18m move from Sporting Lisbon, was close to joining Bayern Munich on the final day of the summer transfer window but the deal couldn’t be done in time to meet the German transfer deadline. Despite continuing links to Bayern, Palhinha extended his contract at Craven Cottage – and no offers materialised for the top tackler in the English top flight last month.
Khan, son of Cottagers’ own Shahid Khan who is also the club’s director of football, told Talksport earlier today:
“Joao Palhinha is a phenomenal player and I think Joao’s acclimation to the Premier League has shown that he is an amazing player. He’s a huge part of the core of Fulham and we love having him here. I would want him as part of the team for as long as possible and we were very happy to extend his contract, but if an offer came along that would make sense for everyone I think that’s something you have to consider with every player at the right time.
“We wanted to keep him and we have kept him, he’s staying with us and there’s a lot of demand for Palhinha. He was a great signing for us. I love working with Marco Silva and he’s someone I work really closely with over transfers and building the squad. I talk to him on a regular basis about these things, we made a great signing with Joao and there’s now a huge market, eyes have opened.
He’s a great player for Fulham, we love having him and I want Joao to stay with us as long as possible. But it’s part of the business any time you sign a player potentially you know you’re hopefully going to grow their value and that might mean people are going to come in. It’s an exciting part of the industry, but certainly he as a person is central to our team and we love having him at Fulham.
Footballers For Sale
Step right up folks – get your footballers here. Everyone a bargain.
There it is. Right there at the end. ‘Its an exciting part of the industry’. Industry!!! Not sport. Not community. Not history of the club. Fulham FC are an industry. A cash cow. A means to an end. Something on a balance sheet. An exciting part of the INDUSTRY!! Says it all really
He just put a “for sale” sign around Palhinha’s neck. Not a very smart business move if you actually want to maximise his sale price. He should have said: “”we have no intention of selling him, he is too important to our club!”
By the way noticing in all his interviews how often he uses the word “I”…..
Khan get your idiot son out of Fulham.FFC Get in someone who knows what he is doing in that INDUSTRY. He really couldnt run a sweet shop. As for the incomplete Riverside Stand what idiot is managing this club off the field.Look at Spurs who complete a big new stadium in better time. Hopeless but we still have Marco and Boa COYW
Those comments have just knocked £10m off what we would have got. Idiot. We have no intention of selling. That’s all that needed saying instead he runs his mouth like an arrogant kid. Clueless.
This goes part of the way to summing up our dear club perilous state. I wonder who the “we” are that are sitting waiting for the offers to pour in for Joao. You Kahn are a complete pratt not worthy of involvement in Fulham. You could do the whole of “us” a favour by going to America, staying there and never darkening our doors again. I can only assume that your father, who obviously has the wherewith all to establish and run a business, is being drugged by you to let you continue to run amok and totally f*** up”our” club.
I agree with Dave, I mean you do not have to be a business supreme to work out that you stay quiet even if you know that he is going to be sold.
The only thing that makes sense TK is common sense and you do not have any.
God we need another DOF!
Why doesn’t that idiot TK do us all a favour and resign he is clueless and out of his depth.
If he’s central to our team then why we willing to sell him. Why not build around him unless he wants to go. As much as success we’ve had over the past seasons I just can’t relate to these owners. No talk of moving forward or building a stronger team.