Joao Palhinha, a Brazilian teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo, is reportedly being considered by Liverpool as a less expensive alternative to Jude Bellingham. According to reports, the England international was valued at around £133 million. Palhinha, on the other hand, could cost the Reds around £60 million.
Palhinha, who was with Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, has impressed manager Jurgen Klopp with his performances this season, according to the Daily Mail (h/t Liverpool.com). In the group stage in Qatar, he was restricted to three substitute appearances.
However, the Portuguese midfielder has emerged as one of the team’s most dependable players under manager Marco Silva. Palhinha has started every one of Fulham’s 27 Premier League games this season, except for three. His team is eighth in the standings.
He signed a contract for five years at Craven Cottage last summer for £20 million. Given the substantial profit they stand to gain from a sale, Fulham might take into consideration selling him. However, the 27-year-old is an expert defensive midfielder.
When compared to other midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past 12 months, Palhinha ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles per 90 minutes. According to FBRef, he ranks in the 93rd percentile for clearances made and the 91st percentile for aerial duels won.
In contrast, Bellingham is a box-to-box midfielder who plays at both ends of the field. This season, he has played 33 games for Borussia Dortmund, scoring 10 goals and providing 6 assists. Genuine Madrid has been vigorously connected with a move for the 19-year-old, which could make things challenging for Liverpool.
Joao Palhinha, a target for Liverpool, has already fulfilled his “dream” of playing with Cristiano Ronaldo :
When he scored in Manchester United’s 2-1 league win over Everton in October, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player in football history to score 700 club goals. Later that month, when asked about his international teammate’s record, Fulham’s Joao Palhinha responded, via TalkSPORT:
“This record is amazing. He is one of the best football players ever. Everyone enjoys training and playing with him, including players from Manchester United and the national team. Palhinha, who has played 16 games for Portugal with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, added:
“At the point when I was a kid, I watched him on television and presently I play with him. It’s really cool. It is very beneficial to me because it is a dream I had in my life. We are very fortunate to have a player of his caliber in Portugal.