Fulham have turned down a second bid from Bayern Munich for midfielder Joao Palhinha.

Various reports claim that the German giants offered £40m – including add-ons – for the 28 year-old defensive midfielder, which remains significantly short of Fulham’s £60m valuation. The former Sporting Lisbon favourite, who has topped the Premier League tackling table in the two seasons he has spent at Craven Cottage, was close to joining Bayern last September only for the deal to collapse on transfer deadline day.

New Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany has apparently made Palhinha his top transfer target this summer but Fulham will not let one of Marco Silva’s key players leave for below their asking price. The Londoners believe they are in a strong position as Palhinha, who enjoys a strong relationship with the man who brought him through the Sporting youth set-up, signed a new four-year contract last autumn.