Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is reportedly considering a move for Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha. This move could very well mean the end of Thomas Partey’s time at the Emirates.
Arteta has made a new central midfielder one of his priority additions ahead of the January transfer window. Several names have been linked, including Aston Villa‘s Douglas Luiz who was one of the first names to be linked. However the attention has since shifted to Palhinha. The Portuguese has had an impressive start to this season.
Not the first time Palhinha has been linked with a move away from Fulham
Palhinha has already come close to leaving Fulham once. He was very close to joining German giants Bayern Munich in the summer. Bayern had reached an agreement with Fulham worth £55 million, but the deal collapsed because Marco Silva’s side couldn’t find a replacement. Though Bayern are still keen, Arsenal have now entered the race for the midfielder’s signature.
This season Palhinha already has 2 goals despite playing as a number 6. The 28-year-old often tends to go unnoticed since he plays in a deeper role and hardly comes on the score-sheet. But the fact that a top club like Bayern Munich were ready to pay £55 million for the player says a lot about his talent and quality.
The Palhinha transfer could result in an exit for injury prone Arsenal player
As a result of Palhinha’s rumored move to Arsenal, Thomas Partey’s Gunners career has been plunged into fresh doubt. The Ghana international was rumored to be heading for the Emirates exit last summer. Juventus were reportedly keen, but he ended up staying put in the end.
Amid yet another lengthy spell on the sidelines with an injury, Arteta could get tired of not being able to rely on Partey. If Arteta can get another midfielder, he could cut all ties with the Ghanaian.
Palhinha certainly won’t come cheap and Arsenal have already spent heavily in the summer. They spent £105 million on Declan Rice back in July meaning the Gunners won’t have an huge amount in the transfer kitty mid-way through the season.
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