View: De Zerbi has easy decision over making ace first Tottenham summer signing

Joao Palhinha wears his heart on his sleeve.

As he hurdled the advertising boards to celebrate with Tottenham Hotspur’s away end at Molineux, there was no doubting his passion. This was sheer, unfiltered jubilation not seen anywhere near enough at the club this season.

You also certainly wouldn’t have known that he could find himself on the move again in the summer. This is the strange scenario Spurs are facing, in which loan players show more commitment and desire than those who have been sporting the white jersey for years.

After the final whistle blew, confirming Spurs’ first win of 2026 and breathing new life into their relegation fight, Palhinha and Pedro Porro embraced, lost in the unbridled joy and relief of it all. Just when all hope was lost, the midfielder had brought them back from the brink.

It was a truly significant moment, but regardless of whether Tottenham stay in the Premier League or not, there remain major question marks over Palhinha’s future.

Tottenham still split over Joao Palhinha

Hours after his heroics against Wolves, there was a notable change in stance from Spurs. Once believed to be leaning toward allowing him to return to Bayern Munich in the summer, they are now likely to hold fresh talks with the Bundesliga club to renegotiate a cheaper deal.

Despite Palhinha making 41 appearances in all competitions this season, Spurs don’t want to pay the £27m price tag already agreed last summer. As such, they would be willing to pull out of negotiations entirely and ship the 30-year-old back out if Bayern don’t play ball.

It promises to be an intriguing back-and-forth. Vincent Kompany will be keen to sell him, knowing that the Bavarian heavyweights can likely ask for a significant amount after his recent heroics. First, though, Tottenham must truly weigh up whether the swoop is worth it.

Supporters are divided over him. In one camp, Palhinha is viewed as an effective midfield stopper, someone who can step in to cover the black hole in the centre of the park that numerous managers were unable to fix. He is renowned for snapping into tackles.

At the time of his arrival, he was still viewed as one of the continent’s best defensive midfielders, primarily due to his successful stint at Fulham between 2022 and 2024.

However, to others, Spurs had signed a player who couldn’t cut it at Bayern Munich. They argued that the fact that the Bundesliga champions were only too happy to move him pointed to another unambitious piece of business from a club littered with them.

Despite his winning goal against Wolves and an all-action cameo from the bench, there is still no unanimity. The big question, then, is what Tottenham do now.

Why Palhinha is perfect for Roberto De Zerbi

In this humble writer’s opinion, Spurs would do well to sign Palhinha if they can negotiate his valuation downward. That is because, at least on paper, he is a perfect fit for this new, ambitious era under Roberto De Zerbi. This would be a low-cost, low-risk negotiation.

Historically, De Zerbi’s teams have been instructed to use the ball to bait a press before then attacking in numbers, making use of space in behind. There is a focus on gambling rather than passivity, which typically results in plenty of goals at both ends of the pitch.

One criticism often levelled at the 46-year-old is the defensive aspect of this system, though, which can leave the centre of the pitch too open. While originally brought in to be Thomas Frank’s midfield enforcer, Palhinha has proven he can also do the same job under De Zerbi.

The proof is in his numbers.

He has made the second most tackles in the Premier League this season, with 98. His habit of dangling out a leg and pickpocketing an opponent was just as crucial during his stint at Fulham, leading to them finishing in the top 10 for the first time since 2021.

Then, he had also charted top across Europe’s so-called ‘Big Five’ leagues for tackles in both of his campaigns at Craven Cottage (148 and 152). Tottenham were on the hunt for security and believed he would be able to provide it, and consequently, he has been a rare positive.

There are, of course, drawbacks. Palhinha is relatively poor on the ball and known to take the easy option in possession, which has held Spurs back during build-up. But he is more than making up for that with crucial, potentially decisive, interventions at the other end.

De Zerbi and Tottenham will have a big decision to make over the summer, but it would be sensible to look to keep Palhinha around, especially if he helps to secure their survival.

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