Joao Palhinha has explained why he never signed for West Ham during the 2024 summer transfer window.
Palhinha was one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League while at Fulham and attracted interest from across Europe.
The Hammers were keen to sign him after finishing just outside the European places, but he did not want to move to East London.
Here is the real reason Palhinha turned down an approach from West Ham after the 2023/24 season.
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Joao Palhinha rejected West Ham before Bayern Munich move
West Ham (9th) finished four places above Fulham in the 23/24 campaign and had won the Conference League a year before.
A move from the Cottagers to the Hammers would have been a natural progression for Palhinha, but he was not interested.
Instead, the defensive midfielder preferred to stay at Craven Cottage, where his compatriot, Marco Silva, was in charge.
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Palhinha had an excellent relationship with Silva, who helped him play the best football of his career to date.
He told Jogo Pelo Pelo: “I even renewed with Fulham, because this renewal was already something pending from the summer, far from dreaming that Bayern would appear, but this renewal was already there.
Soungoutou Magassa and Joao Palhinha during West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
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“Then people questioned, but why did he renew? The truth is that it was already decided to be done in pre-season.
“At the time, I had even received a proposal from West Ham, but for me, at the time, between choosing West Ham and Fulham, already being with a Portuguese coach, not for me, I wanted to stay.”
However, soon after rejecting West Ham and committing his future to Fulham, Bayern Munich turned his head.
While a move to the London Stadium was not enough to convince him to pack his bags, the Allianz Arena was a different story.
He admitted: “But when Bayern appeared, it was different, you know?”
Palhinha failed to establish himself as a key player at Bayern and is now on loan at relegation rivals Tottenham. Perhaps he should have joined West Ham after all.
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