Tottenham Hotspur are juggling a lot of decisions right now. After successfully signing a third defender for Roberto De Zerbi this summer and the biggest addition yet in 60 million euro center back Jan Paul van Hecke, the Lilywhites are trying to sign a potential trio of elite midfielders with Sandro Tonali, Adam Wharton, and Mateus Fernandes all linked.
Meanwhile, both Luka Vuskovic and Lucas Bergvall are agitating to leave before they can even truly compete for starting minutes under De Zerbi. And all of this drama has covered up another big decision that Spurs will have to make very soon.
Tottenham acquired Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich, and they have the option to buy the Premier League veteran permanently from the Bavarian giants for 25-30 million euros. And if they do not, he will gladly head back to his country of Portugal and play for a European side in Sporting CP, who have been trying to hijack the deal (though Spurs obviously have a right of first refusal with his loan buy option that Sporting cannot influence).
Tottenham remain on the fence in midfield
Speaking in an appearance on the Last Word on Spurs show, Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridges stated that there is about a 50/50 chance that Tottenham Hotspur decide to pick up the option to buy on Joao Palhinha's loan contract and sign him permanently going forward.
That leaves Spurs fans in the same spot they were before, with no real clarity on what is to happen with Palhinha. And that makes sense, though, because Spurs are probably still on the fence about Palhinha, as his future is tied to how many big players they can sign in the midfield.
Because for as concerned as Lucas Bergvall appears to be about the new signings influencing his future minutes, Palhinha is the most impacted by Tottenham's transfer interest. If Spurs can sign both Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes at the base of the midfield, then Palhinha clearly has no future at the club, and the 25-30 million euros can be kept for better use elsewhere - perhaps on a new striker for Roberto De Zerbi.
But if Tottenham cannot get Fernandes over the line and then struggle with Adam Wharton or any other options on their mind for the No. 6 role, then Tottenham might as well keep Palhinha around after how much De Zerbi gassed him up as an important player - and after he backed it up by helping save Spurs from relegation.
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