You’d have to say the last thing West Ham want after the season they’ve just endured, is anther recruit with a poor injury record joining for more ‘big bucks’. When the story first arose last month there was an awful sense of dejà vu, that here was another talented yet past-it player with serious injury history that West Ham were prepared to push out the boat to try and attract.
Ex Fulham defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha was the subject of interest from West Ham at something close to forty four million quid as we reported in April: That interest despite a dreadful, illness and injury hit season where the Portuguese International has started just six games for Bayern Munich.
So it does seem that – great midfielder that he was- West Ham have dodged a very expensive bullet as Palhinha is reported to have ‘snubbed’ the Irons interest. As per Canal11:
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“I want to be ( with Bayern Munich ) for another three years at most. I want to fulfil my contract with Bayern,”
Which will come as a relief to those Hammers fans who have had to endure Niclas Fullkrug’s injury-ridden season, Michail Antonio’s broken leg and Crysenico Summerville’s hamstring sagas. Enough injuries for one season without going looking for more liabilities – especially those costing nearly £50 million!
I’d suggest the Hammers could pick up a couple of twenty year old midfielders on upward trajectories in their careers for the same money, great player that Palhinha was. We wish him well in Germany and breathe a sigh of relief.