Ex-Spurs scout advices Tottenham to trigger Joao Palhinha’s £27m buy option as early as possible
It has not taken long for Thomas Frank to show his magic at Tottenham Hotspur. The north Londoners have won three of their four games of the new Premier League season and currently sit third on the table.
Thomas Frank’s side were full value of their victory over London rivals West Ham United at the weekend. The red card to Tomas Soucek in the second half helped of course, but Spurs overall were excellent in all departments and smashed the Hammers 3-0. While it was another clean sheet for the defence, the Lilywhites’ midfield unit won their battles.
Joao Palhinha showed his class once again. He had to be on the wrong side of a reckless challenge from Soucek which earned the West Ham midfielder a straight red card 10 minutes after the break. The Portuguese protected the backline, broke up opposition’s play, made effective passes and matched the home side’s physicality in the middle of the park.
What surprised most of the fans after the game was when Frank claimed Joao Palhinha still isn’t 100 per cent due to a disrupted pre-season.
Ex-Spurs scout advices Tottenham to trigger Joao Palhinha's £27m buy option as early as possible.
Joao Palhinha has proven to be a class addition to the Tottenham squad
Ex-scout thinks Tottenham will trigger Joao Palhinha’s buy option very quickly
Palhinha signed for Tottenham on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich in August, with the north London club having an option to make the deal permanent next summer. The option to buy him stands at £27million.
Bayern Munich splashed £44m to sign the 30-year-old from Fulham last summer, so by loaning him out and showing willingness to sell him at £27m in 2026, they have tried to cut their losses. From Spurs’ perspective, they have a glorious opportunity to land him for significantly less price.
Now, ex-Spurs scout Bryan King thinks the Lilywhites will trigger Palhinha’s buy option as quickly as possible after seeing his instant impact in Frank’s team.
“Palhinha is someone that they (Spurs) have to bring in permanently,” Bryan King exclusively told Tottenham News.
“He’s such a good player, and it’s been a great bit of business to bring him in on loan.
“When you get a loan player, it’s always a case of whether he will settle and fit into the system. Top players can handle these situations, and he certainly has.
“I would imagine that the £27m would be money well spent. I think they’ll try and get that deal done as quickly as possible, to then get another couple of seasons out of him.”
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Tottenham must trigger Palhinha’s buy option clause
Palhinha has proved to be an astute addition to Tottenham’s midfield ranks very quickly, adding a combination of balance and stability to the side. With him operating as an anchor, Spurs look composed in midfield this season thus far, unlike last term when they got overrun and outmuscled very easily countless times under Ange Postecoglou.
The Portugal international’s presence has also liberated Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr, with the latter thriving in an advanced role. At 30, many would feel that the ex-Fulham man will start slowing down quickly, but it is worth noting that pace has never been the player’s forte. Instead, he specialises in quick anticipation of danger and smart ground covering.
That said, the Hotspur Way chiefs must ensure they trigger Palhinha’s £27m buy option in the loan deal from Bayern as early as possible.