Spurs must avoid big transfer mistake next summer

Joao Palhinha has been one of the signings of the season in the Premier League and Spurs would be making a big mistake if they do not sign him permanently next summer.

The central midfielder arrived in early August on a season-long loan, but there is an option to buy the 30 year old, reported to be around £26-27million.

When the Portuguese international signed, no one really knew how good a signing he was going to be. Palhinha was a huge success at Fulham and this saw him sign for German giants Bayern Munich, but he struggled to set the world alight in the Bundesliga. He played 25 times in all competitions for Bayern last season, but started just 10 games and only played 986 minutes in total.

By contrast, Palhinha has already made six starts since joining Spurs, and has played over 600 minutes of football, emphasising the importance of the midfielder.

Thomas Frank is clearly a big fan of the player, and his stats this season show why he is one of the signings of the summer in the Premier League.

Palhinha is averaging 3.8 tackles per game in England’s top flight, whilst he has won five ground duels and recovered 2.2 balls per game. He is so good defensively for Spurs, attempting the third most tackles in the league.

His strengths are ideal for a Frank formation. He is great at winning ground duels and tackling, whilst he is also able to pass well, especially when attempting a long ball.

The midfielder has been important in attack, scoring three goals in all competitions. His latest was crucial as he scored a dramatic last-minute equaliser against Wolves.

This goal highlights why he has been one of the signings of the summer as not only has he performed to a consistently high standard, but he has also produced some very important moments.

With the impact he is making, signing him permanently for £27million feels like an absolute bargain. Some may argue that it is a lot of money to spend for a 30 year-old, but with Palhinha playing to a very high level and also in his prime, it feels like it would be impossible to get a player of his quality for any cheaper.

Spurs are currently fourth in the league and only four points from first place, so it has definitely been a good start to the campaign. The mood around the club is a lot more positive than it was during Premier League matches towards the end of last season.

Palhinha has been a huge reason for this and Spurs cannot afford to miss out on making his move permanent, especially when they have the advantage with an option to buy in his current deal.

There was a lot of anger when the North London club lost out on Eberechi Eze despite being in pole position, and both Frank and the fan base will want to avoid something similar happening again.