Joao Palhinha – The Empire of The Kop

‘I have no doubt…’ – Liverpool fans could be clamouring for Amorim after 29y/o’s endorsement

Liam Togher — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 20:43:36 +0000

Ruben Amorim has been given a glowing character reference by one Premier League midfielder amid his ongoing links with Liverpool.

Portuguese journalist Pedro Sepulveda claimed on Monday that the Sporting Lisbon boss is the only manager that the Anfield hierarchy want to take over from Jurgen Klopp, with negotiations believed to be underway with his agents.

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Fulham’s Joao Palhinha – who played under him at two clubs – is convinced that the 39-year-old would be a success on Merseyside.

The 29-year-old midfielder said of Amorim (via Fabrizio Romano): “If he signs for Liverpool, I have no doubt that people will like his personality. I believe he is a great option to replace Klopp. He’s used to dealing with pressure.”

João Palhinha on Amorim and #LFC links: “If he signs for Liverpool, I have no doubt that people will like his personality. I believe he is a great option to replace Klopp”.

“He's used to dealing with pressure”. pic.twitter.com/Cv3VYJIUoK

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 15, 2024

Amorim could be a two-time Portuguese league champion by the time he (maybe) arrives at Liverpool, having won the title with Sporting in 2021 – their first in 19 years – and being on course to do so again over the coming weeks.

That trophy-winning nous is a quality which could well distinguish him from other rumoured candidates such as Roberto De Zerbi, and it also helps that he carries himself with grace and charm.

In addition to Palhinha’s comments, a feature in this month’s edition of World Soccer magazine described him as a ‘consummate media performer’ who’s ‘jovial, eloquent and good to listen to’, highlighting the contrast between him and more combustible peers such as Jose Mourinho and Sergio Conceicao.

As the Fulham midfielder also referenced, Amorim has proven himself at a club in Sporting where the pressure to compete for league titles on an annual basis is intense, which should stand as ideal preparation for taking over at a club of Liverpool’s expectations.

That blend of trophy-winning experience and amicable personality could have Reds fans clamouring for him to take over from Klopp, who also boasts those traits in abundance.

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‘Of course’ – EPL midfielder says his former boss would be ‘capable’ of succeeding at Liverpool

Liam Togher — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:20:32 +0000

One manager who’s been touted as a strong candidate for the Liverpool job has received a glowing recommendation from one of his former players.

Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha – who’s found himself at the centre of speculation over a possible move to Anfield in recent months – believes that his ex-Braga and Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim could be more than capable of succeeding with the Reds.

Speaking to O Jogo [via Desporto Sapo], the 28-year-old said: “Ruben is a coach with a lot of quality, one of the best in Portugal. He has done an excellent job since Braga. He has in-depth knowledge of the game and has a close relationship with the players. The way he is growing, he will not be in Portugal for much longer.”

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Palhinha continued: “Capable of taking over Liverpool? Yes, of course, although the pressure is different. When you coach a big Portuguese club, you have pressure from the fans and the size of the club itself, which forces you to win.

“When you coach Liverpool, you have pressure from the fans, the club, and the whole world. The way he is growing, I think it will be a matter of time.”

Palhinha referenced the lofty expectations which come with managing Liverpool, and Amorim is already accustomed to taking on the pressure of taking charge of a club where challenging for silverware is a minimum requirement.

He went one better and won the Primeira Liga in his first season at Sporting, and they’re currently on course for another title triumph this term, leading the way from arch-rivals Benfica by one point and with a game in hand.

While simply qualifying from the group stage of the Champions League – as he did two years ago – would’ve been considered a success in Lisbon, he’d be expected to do that as a minimum requirement at Anfield, and ideally seek to have the Reds going even deeper into the competition.

Nonetheless, Palhinha is speaking from a position of having worked with Amorim at two clubs, so for him to state that the 39-year-old would be capable of succeeding at Liverpool may well strike a chord with Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes.

It’ll likely be another few weeks before interviews are conducted, so speculation will inevitably rumble on until then, but it certainly seems as though the Sporting manager’s name will continue to reside among the pool of leading candidates.

Back with a bang: All to play for in April as Liverpool hope to line up glorious Klopp send-off

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Vice-chairman insists club will ‘have to consider’ offers for Liverpool-linked ‘sensation’

Liam Togher — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 17:52:55 +0000

Liverpool have reportedly been given a boost to their hopes of signing a player who’s been heavily linked with a move to Anfield in recent months.

According to Football Insider, Fulham vice-chairman Tony Khan has said that the west London club will ‘have to consider’ reasonable offers for Joao Palhinha, having admitted that there’s a ‘huge market’ for the midfielder.

The Cottagers accept that the 28-year-old – on whom they’ve placed a price tag of £50m-£60m – is set to be in demand during the summer transfer window, having attracted interest from the Reds, Arsenal and Bayern Munich.

When Khan is acknowledging that Fulham may cash in on Palhinha for the right price, potential suitors such as Liverpool must be encouraged.

The 28-year-old ranks joint-eighth in the Premier League for interceptions for game (1.6) this season, while no player in the English top flight can match his remarkable match average of 4.8 tackles (WhoScored), so his credential as a midfield enforcer are beyond doubt.

Hailed as a ‘sensation’ by Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports, the Portuguese destroyer must’ve further impressed the Anfield hierarchy with his performance against the Reds at Craven Cottage in the Carabao Cup semi-finals last month, winning an incredible 13 duels that night (Sofascore).

Any summer transfer activity at Liverpool is bound to be contingent on who’s ultimately appointed as the new sporting director and manager, as both will surely have their own ideas on the players they want to bring in.

The Reds are nicely stocked in midfield when everyone is available, but FSG must be tempted to explore a possible move for Palhinha now that Fulham have signalled that a deal could potentially be done if a strong offer is tabled.

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(Video) Sit down: Alexis Mac Allister sent Joao Palhinha absolutely flying with superb tackle last night

Max Rudd — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 08:50:15 +0000

Holding midfield may not be Alexis Mac Allister’s preferred position but we witnessed the Argentine’s brilliant tackling ability last night as he sent Joao Palhinha absolutely flying in the first half.

The Fulham man was looking to lead a counter attack as he drove towards the Liverpool half.

Our No. 10 was not willing to let the Portugal international get away easily, however, and after initially showing superb strength to keep pace with the former Sporting Lisbon man Mac Allister then completed a superbly timed tackle to regain possession and set the Reds on the attack.

Ideally we’d like to see the World Cup winner in a more advanced role in the middle of the park but we can see why Jurgen Klopp is deploying him in the deep-lying role.

Injuries and Wataru Endo’s involvement at the Asia Cup of course means our German tactician has very limited options in the holding role but the former Brighton man is doing a great job at the moment even if he can still kick on further in a red shirt.

Watch his brilliant tackle below via @Hmz290 on X:

Mac sits down Palhinha
pic.twitter.com/iDRd7kr54A

— – (@Hmz290) January 10, 2024

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Transfer expert claims advisors of ‘special player’ who Klopp adores have offered him to Liverpool

Liam Togher — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 16:20:57 +0000

According to one transfer expert, Liverpool have been offered a player with whom they were strongly linked for much of 2023.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Alex Crook claimed that the entourage of Joao Palhinha have gone straight to clubs such as the Reds and invited them to submit an offer to Fulham for the midfielder, whose proposed deadline day move to Bayern Munich last year collapsed at the 11th hour.

The reporter said of the 28-year-old: “He signed a new contract but that Bayern interest hasn’t gone away, although I’m not sure it will happen this month.

“I know his advisors have been going to the top clubs, the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea in particular, and saying ‘Look, this player has proved himself a Premier League, do you want to make Fulham an offer?’

“At the moment, they’re pushing back on it because of his age. I think he’s 28, that doesn’t necessarily fit the profile that these clubs are willing to do, but I think that’s a mistake because I think he’s just about Fulham’s best player.”

When Fulham lost 4-3 at Anfield a month ago, Palhinha demonstrated just why the likes of Liverpool and Bayern are reportedly so keen on him.

On that day, the midfielder won eight duels and five tackles, along with making four clearances and four interceptions (Sofascore), getting through a mountain of off-the-ball work as his side gave the Reds a severe fright.

It wasn’t an outlier of a performance, either, as his tackling average of 4.9 per game is by far the highest in the Premier League this season (WhoScored). It’s no wonder he was dubbed a ‘special player’ by his former Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorin (Record).

Palhinha is therefore a proven operator in the English top flight, something which could appeal to Liverpool, although the tremendous displays of Wataru Endo at the base of midfield – and the capability of Alexis Mac Allister in that role – make him a nice-to-have rather than a must-have.

Also, his reported £50m valuation (Daily Star) could be steep for a 28-year-old who’d take a non-homegrown berth in the Reds’ domestic and European squads, another important factor which must be considered in the Anfield boardroom.

Right now, it’s difficult to see Klopp swooping for the Fulham powerhouse this month despite praising him highly in the past, although previous transfer windows have taught us never to say never.

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‘I am a big fan’ – Ex-Red says Liverpool should sign ‘underrated’ player in January; would make ‘a big difference’

Max Rudd — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 10:35:09 +0000

Jamie Redknapp has named the player Liverpool should be looking to sign in January.

Jurgen Klopp completed the signings of four new midfielders in the summer but there remains a feeling amongst some supporters that another addition is needed in the middle of the park if the Merseysiders are to compete on all four fronts.

Former Liverpool captain Redknapp has named Fulham’s Joao Palhinha as the player Klopp and Co. should be looking to sign during the winter window – labelling the Portugal international as ‘one of the most underrated players’.

“I am a big fan of Palhinha in midfield,” Redknapp told Sky Sports (via Caught Offside).

“I think he is one of the most underrated players.

“The job that he does. If I was Liverpool right now, I would look to get him in my midfield in January. He makes a big difference to any team.”

The 28-year-old has been immense for the Craven Cottage-based outfit since joining from Sporting Lisbon in the summer of 2022.

He was linked with a move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the summer but that move wasn’t completed and he instead remained in the capital.

Liverpool have been linked with the combative midfielder throughout 2023 but Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg confirmed recently that the Reds are not interested in making a move for him in January.

It remains to be seen if we will complete any business in the winter window. Injuries are continuing to mount up in Klopp’s squad, however, but perhaps some loan deals could be struck with our German tactician not usually willing to sign players just to fix temporary problems.

Anfield Annals: John Smith – Liverpool’s Red Knight and Most Successful Chairman

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Fabrizio Romano shares the latest on Liverpool’s links with Joao Palhinha ahead of January window

Liam Togher — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 15:20:21 +0000

Fabrizio Romano has shared his latest information on Liverpool’s links with Joao Palhinha ahead of the January transfer window.

The Fulham midfielder has been on the radar at Anfield for some time, with Christian Falk recently suggesting that the Reds are ‘concretely interested in’ the 28-year-old prior to the market opening next month.

As ever, the January transfer window could involve sporting directors such as LFC’s Jorg Schmadtke taking calculated risks in an attempt to bolster the squads at their club’s disposal, much like those who participate in casino games online to try and boost their winnings.

In the Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside, Romano outlined: “There have been lots of rumours regarding Fulham’s Joao Palhinha in recent weeks and I can honestly say that I don’t have concrete information on Liverpool being in talks to sign Palhinha yet.

“For sure the top Premier League clubs are informed on the player’s situation at Craven Cottage but nothing has started in terms of negotiations with Joao or Fulham yet. Also, Liverpool still have to decide what areas of the pitch they want to invest in during the January transfer window.”

Steve Kay suggested for Football Transfers that a £50m offer could potentially convince Fulham to do business over Palhinha – not an extraordinary fee for an established Premier League operator who also boasts Champions League experience.

The 28-year-old has completed a remarkable 5.4 tackles per game in the top flight this season, which is unsurprisingly the highest average in the division. For comparison, only Alexis Mac Allister (2.2) has averaged more than two per match for Liverpool (via WhoScored).

If the Reds are looking for an experienced and uncompromising defensive midfielder who’s proven themselves in this league, they’ll be hard pressed to find a better candidate than the Portugal international.

However, as we’ve argued on this site in recent days, a player of Palhinha’s ilk mightn’t be what Jurgen Klopp is seeking in the player operating at the base of LFC’s midfield.

Whereas before we leaned upon a battle-hardened destroyer in Fabinho, we now seem to have moved on to a more rounded defensive midfield anchor, judging by Mac Allister’s continued presence in that role.

Also, as Romano referenced, it remains to be seen just which positions will take priority at Anfield in the January transfer window. A new centre-back may be on the agenda following the season-ending ACL injury to Joel Matip, while a right-back addition might also be sought if Klopp wishes to transform Trent Alexander-Arnold into a midfielder on a permanent basis.

Big decisions lay in store for Schmadtke and the Liverpool brains trust.

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‘Crucial days for him now…’ – Sky reporter drops update on Joao Palhinha/Liverpool rumours

Liam Togher — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 07:18:50 +0000

Florian Plettenberg posted an update on Joao Palhinha’s future on Monday night, one which might disappoint Liverpool supporters.

The Fulham midfielder has been an ongoing transfer target at Anfield throughout 2023 and continues to be linked with the Reds ahead of the January window, along with Bayern Munich, the club he was on course to join at the end of the summer before the deal fell through.

Taking to X late last night, the Sky Sports Germany reporter stated that the 28-year-old is entering ‘crucial days’ in terms of his future, but Jurgen Klopp’s side were ruled out of the running.

Plettenberg posted: “Understand that Liverpool is definitely not in the race for João Palhinha. He’s not a transfer target in winter / #LFC

“But: Crucial days for him now as many other top clubs want him in January. Talks ongoing. FC Bayern still want to sign a new No. 6. However, internally, he is still considered too expensive.”

Understand that Liverpool is definitely not in the race for João #Palhinha. He’s not a transfer target in winter / #LFC

But: Crucial days for him now as many other top clubs want him in January. Talks ongoing.

FC Bayern still want to sign a new No. 6. However, internally,… pic.twitter.com/f5GyrvF951

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) December 18, 2023

This update from Plettenberg, along with an assertion from the Daily Mail on Monday that midfield additions are ‘unlikely’ in January, appears to end any prospect of Liverpool signing Palhinha next month.

If the Reds are to add to their squad during the winter transfer window, the likeliest scenario is that their defence is strengthened, with options in that part of the squad lessened by injuries to Joel Matip and Andy Robertson.

Of course, what happens in our three remaining matches in December could alter the priorities at Anfield ahead of January – a new midfielder may have been bumped up the list after Ryan Gravenberch incurred a hamstring problem in the 0-0 draw against Manchester United on Sunday.

As ever, we trust in Klopp and the Liverpool hierarchy to bring in the players who they believe are the right fit for the German’s squad. We just hope that he’s not left short on options for the rest of the season once the window shuts at the end of next month.

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Christian Falk now shares what he’s heard from Bayern involving Liverpool and Joao Palhinha

Farrell Keeling — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 11:05:41 +0000

Liverpool may not have given up entirely on the idea of signing a new holding midfielder in the January window.

Despite landing Wataru Endo in the summer, the Merseysiders could further bolster their midfield ranks with the signing of Joao Palhinha.

Christian Falk reports that Bayern ‘heard’ of their European rivals’ concrete interest in the Fulham star, which could complicate matters.

“Bayern heard that Liverpool are concretely interested in Joao Palhinha so things are getting complicated already ahead of the January transfer window,” the head of football at the BILD Group wrote in his exclusive Fact Files column with CaughtOffside.

“They don’t have the money at the moment to commit to many big transfers and signing a centre-back is the priority.

“So, perhaps they might move away from the idea of signing him in the winter if Liverpool are also involved in the poker.

“They do have one alternative in mind in Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad. He could be the next choice if Palhinha is off the market.”

Steve Kay over at Football Transfers pointed to a fee of £50m being enough to potentially prise the Portuguese midfielder away from Craven Cottage.

Liverpool need a more progressive No.6

With the greatest of respect to Palhinha – who is without question a phenomenal midfielder – he’s simply not what’s needed at Anfield.

A move for the ex-Sporting CP star would represent a step back in time when a destroyer, in the form of Fabinho, ruled the roost.

Would you like to see Palhinha join Liverpool? – (Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images)

Not to suggest that he couldn’t ‘do a job’ under Jurgen Klopp, but the faith shown in Alexis Mac Allister indicates that we’re expecting a bit more from our No.6 in this rebooted Liverpool side.

Not to mention, we’ve reconfigured the setup to ensure defensive responsibilities are meted out a bit more equally.

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Forget Andre: Liverpool could hijack transfer and fix No.6 dilemma with £52m PL solution

Farrell Keeling — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:31:45 +0000

Liverpool’s search for further midfield reinforcements in January could lead them to seek a relatively local solution.

Joao Palhinha, previously linked to Jurgen Klopp’s men by the Daily Mail (Mirror), will reportedly be allowed to leave in the winter window.

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the Portuguese international will be allowed to head to the Bundesliga for ‘definitely’ less than £52.3m.

Fulham have signaled Joao #Palhinha they would let him go for a lower fee to FC Bayern in January than the planned €60-65m in summer.

Palhinha remains on Bayern's list
But the club will definitely not pay €60m+ for him now.

Palhinha & Bayern, a question of money… pic.twitter.com/zFijVi7yOO

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) November 21, 2023

At around or under £52m, it’s not terribly expensive in modern day terms for one of the Premier League’s finest holding midfielders.

Does Palhinha fit the bill?

If Liverpool are keen on an out-and-out destroyer, of a similar mould to a Fabinho, they could do a lot worse than the Fulham star.

The 27-year-old registers ludicrously high in defensive metrics – tackles (99th percentile), interceptions (89th percentile), blocks (83rd percentile) and aerials won (85th percentile) – according to FBref.

However, we’d have some serious concerns over what we’d lose from a progression/possession standpoint.

Joao Palhinha in action for Portugal – (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

Though you’d have to imagine Palhinha’s numbers are adversely affected by the quality of footballers around him, ranking in the 46% percentile for pass completion is poor (Alexis Mac Allister ranks in the 68th percentile).

By contrast, the likes of our Argentine sensation and Curtis Jones are far more adept at holding on to the ball and progressing it up the pitch.

Whilst the temptation to revert back to a destroyer will prove irresistible to some quarters of the fanbase, we’re not so sure that the Cottagers star fits the bill for what our recruitment team is looking for.

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Bayern Munich could now influence hijacking of Liverpool’s move for £26m powerhouse – UOL

Farrell Keeling — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 13:15:53 +0000

Liverpool will have expected Arsenal to be serious competitors for Andre’s signature this January.

What may come as a surprise is the idea that the Reds could be beaten to the £26m-£30.3m valued player by Marco Silva’s Fulham.

UOL now reports that Bayern Munich’s ongoing interest in Joao Palhinha will force the Cottagers to secure a potential replacement for their starting holding midfielder.

Liverpool or Fulham? The choice should be clear

We shouldn’t discount the possibility of a superior offer being made to the player. One that, we’d imagine, will surely revolve around playing minutes as far as Fulham are concerned.

Given the clear need for a No.6 in our side, however, Jurgen Klopp should be able to make a convincing argument for Andre.

It remains to be seen how this particular battle will pan out. Though, we only hope that Bayern’s influence in proceedings doesn’t see a talented player opt for life in London over Merseyside.

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Ex-Man Utd midfielder believes Liverpool could win the league if they sign 28y/o EPL colossus

Liam Togher — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 19:23:45 +0000

Owen Hargreaves believes that Liverpool are one defensive midfield signing away from being potential Premier League winners, and he named the player who he feels could get them over the line.

The Reds signed four midfielders during the summer transfer window but they continue to be linked with possible additions in the number 6 role.

One such player who was touted as a possible target earlier this year is Joao Palhinha, whose deadline day move from Fulham to Bayern Munich fell through at the 11th hour.

Speaking to Premier League Productions (30 October, 2:40pm), Hargreaves said that Liverpool would be capable of winning the title if they were to sign the 28-year-old.

The ex-Manchester United midfielder said: “I think they are missing one player and that’s a defensive midfield player. I think if Palhinha plays for Liverpool, then they can win the league. He is that good.”

When it comes to no-nonsense defensive midfield operators in the Premier League, there are few (if any) better than Palhinha.

He’s averaged more tackles per game this season (5.6) than any other player in the division – for context, Marvelous Nakamba is third on the list with 3.7 per match. Also, only three others in the top flight can beat the Fulham destroyer’s average of two interceptions per game (WhoScored).

Bearing those figures in mind, it comes as no surprise that he ranks among the top 1% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues over the past year for tackles per 90 minutes (4.66), and he’s among the top 7% for interceptions per 90 with 1.75 (as per FBref).

Aside from evidently being a brick wall of a powerhouse at the base of midfield, Palhinha has also chipped in with two goals already this season, including the equaliser as the Cottagers drew 1-1 at Brighton on Sunday (Transfermarkt).

Even with Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo joining in the summer to fill the void left by Fabinho’s exit, Jurgen Klopp may still be tempted to try for the Fulham colossus.

If he’s the man whose presence helps Liverpool to win a second Premier League title, it’d prove to be worth every last penny.

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‘We will see…’ – Romano shares the latest on two midfielders with whom Liverpool had been linked

Liam Togher — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:47:09 +0000

Fabrizio Romano has shared updates on two midfielders with whom Liverpool have been linked in recent weeks and months.

During the summer transfer window, a move to Anfield for Joao Palhinha was deemed a ‘possibility’ by the Liverpool Echo‘s Ian Doyle, while there are also rumours surrounding the Reds and Kalvin Phillips.

The Italian offered his most up-to-date information on both players in his latest Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside, although he didn’t mention Jurgen Klopp’s side in relation to either of them.

On the Fulham midfielder, Romano said: “I’m still told that Bayern will insist for Joao Palhinha in January. They will sign a new DM this winter, for sure, and Palhinha remains one of the names on their list.

“The player would also be open to making this move happen, then it depends on Bayern-Fulham negotiations. We will see later this winter.”

Regarding the Manchester City player, the Italian outlined: “Despite links with Newcastle and Everton, I’m not aware of concrete talks on this one. Phillips wanted to stay at City this summer despite some approaches, so he’s still focused on doing his best for City and then a decision will be made later, like November or December.

“Newcastle won’t decide anything on transfer targets before they know what happens in their Champions League group.”

A proposed move to Bayern Munich for Palhinha fell through on deadline day (Sky Sports), a stroke of luck which leaves Liverpool with at least some chance of luring him from Fulham, even though the Bundesliga champions still seem to be firm favourites.

Robbie Savage recently proclaimed that the 28-year-old would be ‘a fantastic fit’ for the Reds, and a Premier League-high match average of 4.7 tackles this season (WhoScored) shows just how effective he is as a midfield destroyer.

As for Phillips, he still seems intent on trying to make it at the Etihad Stadium, but even the absence of Rodri through suspension hasn’t seen the Englishman catapulted into the starting line-up (Transfermarkt).

That could perhaps make it easier to convince him to leave the treble winners but also may be interpreted as an alarm bell that he isn’t at the level to start for a team at the top end of the league table.

Of those two players, Palhinha seems the more ideal target, although Liverpool’s ongoing links with Andre Trindade of Fluminense indicate that he appears to be their priority for the next midfield recruit. Let’s see how these various rumours develop between now and the January transfer window.

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Robbie Savage names 28y/o who’d be ‘a fantastic fit for Liverpool’ next to Szoboszlai and Mac Allister

Liam Togher — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 13:00:18 +0000

Robbie Savage has named the Premier League midfielder who he believes would be ‘a fantastic fit’ for Liverpool.

The man in question is someone in whom the Reds were actually interested during the summer, with a move for Joao Palhinha having been deemed a ‘possibility’ by the Liverpool Echo‘s Ian Doyle in July.

The 28-year-old was on the brink of signing for Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day, only for the move to fall through, and he remains at Fulham for the time being.

Speaking about the Portugal international on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport, Savage claimed: “He’s a very good player. He was going to Bayern and the move fell through. [He’s a] fantastic player.

“Liverpool have transitioned well in those areas. There is more dynamism in there. [Dominik] Szoboszlai and [Alexis] Mac Allister are good acquisitions, recruitment has been good and I think that has gone under the radar really, but I think Palhinha would be a fantastic fit for Liverpool.”

Despite signing Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch in the final two weeks of the transfer window, Jurgen Klopp has prevailed with Mac Allister in a holding midfield role (Transfermarkt), which has perhaps prevented the Argentine from displaying his best traits.

Had Liverpool manage to get Palhinha prior to the deadline, the 2022 World Cup winner would be freed up to play further forward, knowing that he’d have a truly elite specialist number 6 behind him.

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The Fulham midfielder has won an astounding 4.7 tackles per game so far this season, the most of any Premier League player, while only nine men in the top flight can better his match average of 1.7 interceptions (WhoScored).

The 28-year-old would’ve been a shoo-in at the heart of the Reds’ midfield if he were at Anfield, and there’s a very strong chance that we go in for him again next year, or that Bayern will try their luck for him once more.

Just imagine a trio of Palhinha doing his Trojan work and offering a platform from which Mac Allister and Szoboszlai can thrive behind the front three. It’d be a tantalising prospect.

EOTK FPL Gameweek 7 Review : Disaster for Liverpool, captain Watkins? Injuries piling up…

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Bayern chief explains why they let Gravenberch join Liverpool despite Palhinha transfer collapse

Liam Togher — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 09:52:05 +0000

Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen has outlined why the club sanctioned the sale of Ryan Gravenberch to Liverpool despite failing to bring in a direct replacement.

On Friday night, the Reds confirmed the signing of the Dutchman in a £34m deal (BBC Sport), which came just hours after the Bundesliga champions saw their pursuit of Joao Palhinha collapse due to Fulham pulling the plug amid their frantic search for a midfielder (ESPN).

It leaves the Bavarian outfit with extra money in the bank but with one fewer option in Thomas Tuchel’s squad, although the decision to let the 21-year-old move to Merseyside seemed to be mutual and amicable.

Speaking about Gravenberch’s exit, Dreesen told Bayern’s official website: “He came to us with the desire for more consistent playing time, so we decided on this transfer together with him. We wish him all the best for his future at Liverpool.”

Although Bayern had been eager to keep hold of Gravenberch earlier in the summer, their stance seemed to change once the player made known his desire to leave the Allianz Arena in search of more regular game-time.

Having made only three league starts in just over a year at the club (WhoScored), it’s not hard to see why the Dutchman had been pining for a fresh start elsewhere, with neither Tuchel nor his predecessor Julian Nagelsmann affording the 21-year-old many opportunities to prove himself in Munich.

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The Bavarian hierarchy evidently decided that there was no point in keeping a player who wanted out, particularly when the club were so fervently chasing a new signing of their own in Palhinha, only for the clock to run out on them in that pursuit.

While the various developments of a manic Friday left Bayern a man light, Liverpool eventually got their main objective completed in securing Gravenberch’s signature less than 90 minutes before the 11pm deadline.

Thankfully the player’s exit from Munich seemed to be handled cordially at the end, which surely will have helped with facilitating the eventual transfer to Merseyside.

#Ep88 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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