Tottenham Hotspur could seek a £60m midfielder from within the Premier League to provide an upgrade on Yves Bissouma.
The Lilywhites have endured a sobering weekend for Ange Postecoglou‘s men who saw their hold on the top four slip.
For the second consecutive year, Tottenham were handed a serious beating on Tyneside with Newcastle United running out 4-0 victors.
The Spurs defence was left seriously exposed to Eddie Howe’s furious attack which took no prisoners when the likes of Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro made mistakes at the back.
Tottenham’s defence certainly did not leave Tyneside with much credit to their name, however, it has to be said that they had very little protection from their midfield teammates.
Yves Bissouma was selected alongside Rodrigo Bentancur in the middle with James Maddison in the more advanced role.
But none of the three were able to provide the backline with any barrier from the surging Newcastle attacks.
Postecoglou has mixed up his midfield on a number of occasions recently but is struggling to nail down the three to offer him consistent performances.
And that is leading Spurs towards potentially bringing in a new number six in the summer transfer window.
One name which Tottenham could potentially look to this summer is the Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.
It has been reported by TalkSPORT that the Cottagers would be willing to listen to offer for the Portuguese midfielder this summer.
Vice-chairman Tony Khan told the outlet that Fulham would have to consider their options if an offer was to land for the 28-year-old over the coming months.
“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,” he said earlier this year.
Interesting stats that show Joao Palhinha would be an upgrade on Bissouma
Palhinha came incredibly close to leaving Craven Cottage last summer and even flew to Munich ahead of a potential move to Bayern Munich.
However, that proposed move to the Bundesliga giants fell through, according to The Athletic, and the midfielder has remained committed to the cause at Fulham.
But this summer could see efforts for the midfielder’s signature return with the Fulham hierarchy already admitting that they could cash in on him.
The report with Khan’s comments did hint towards a potential fee of £60m being enough to prise him away from Craven Cottage.
And he could certainly provide a real upgrade at number six for Postecoglou in providing some protection for his backline.
Here is a rundown of how the pair have compared this season.
Statistics via FBRef.
The defensive return from Palhinha significantly outweighs the level of protection which Bissouma has offered Spurs this season.
And due to the style of play implemented by Postecoglou, Spurs seriously need an established figure to just sit in front of the backline.
Palhinha has certainly offered that for Fulham this season and he would certainly be a player who Spurs could view as a worthy investment if they are serious about addressing their issues in the number six spot.
Jamie Redknapp hailed Joao Palhinha as a midfield ‘sensation’
It is apparent this is a player who has received high praise across the league with Sky Sports‘ James Redknapp waxing lyrical about him prior to their game against Arsenal earlier in the season.
“He can do everything. He is exactly what you need in your team. When you are looking at a specialised position like defensive midfield, he is right up there with the best,” Redknapp said.
“He’s so influential, he’s comfortable on the ball, he grabs the odd goal here and there – but that’s not why he’s on the team.”
“This guy is a sensation, as well. The only thing that maybe counts against him if someone else is trying to sign him – no disrespect to Fulham – is he’s 29 in July.”
Signing Joao Palhinha could then free up Bissouma
After what was a sensational start to life under Postecoglou for Bissouma, it has quickly become a bit of a nightmare in recent months.
The Mali midfielder was left furious after being left out of his national squad earlier in the year, but he is really struggling to find any consistency in his form.
Postecoglou said after the West Ham game he thought Bissouma played an ‘outstanding’ game.
But the following game saw the 27-year-old hooked off at half time as Postecoglou made two changes in the midfield.
Bissouma has been Tottenham’s biggest underperformer on the back of his earlier displays in the Premier League.
However, it seems he is just not capable of playing the defensive role in this Postecoglou side and perhaps taking up a more advanced role could benefit his development at the club.