Why Tottenham fans should be more bullish over Joao Palhinha signing

You're still thinking about the Son Heung-min news, aren't you?

I awoke on Saturday morning to the news of our captain's intention to depart, with Thomas Frank confirming that Son will lead Spurs out one final time in his homeland on Sunday.

There will be plenty of time to wax lyrical about the Korean superstar, and, admittedly, the loan arrival of Joao Palhinha feels pretty inconsequential when such a significant figure in Tottenham Hotspur's modern history is ready to move on. Even if it is the right time.

But, Hotspur HQ must plough on. About the Palhinha move we must talk.

Joao Palhinha is the best stop-gap destroyer on the market

Even if there's not explicitly a No. 6 used in Frank's preferred set-up as there was in Ange Postecoglou's framework, a new holding midfielder has perhaps been the club's biggest need this summer.

Many are after the utopia: the passer/destroyer. Such players don't grow on trees, and Spurs have opted to sacrifice some of the ideal. In Palhinha, we're not signing a cultured ball-player who breaks lines and will operate as the second coming of Andrea Pirlo. What he will do, though, is win the ball back like his life depends on it.

There simply wasn't a better 'destroyer' in the Premier League during his two seasons with Fulham. He recorded 109 more tackles than any other player! His effusiveness without the ball will get him suspended once or twice a season, but his work defensively will undoubtedly be a huge net positive for Frank's engine room.

His sole season at Bayern Munich manifested his shortcomings in possession, with his impressive passing statistics skewed by the team he was playing in. Nevertheless, the way some people have spoken about Palhinha would make you think he's some sort of pub player who merely runs around and kicks people. His feet do work, people.

Such an assessment is a laughable downplaying of an excellent footballer, one who's earned 34 caps for Portugal since 2021. Sure, there are limitations with the ball, but nothing more. He's perhaps not suited for games where we'll be expected to "take the game" to the opposition and enjoy much of the ball, but he's exactly who you'd want on the big occasion.

Palhinha is a towering and dominant midfield profile who won't shirk from any challenge (literally). He's what I'd call a proper footballer. Spurs' current engine room is laden with young and talented runners who'll learn plenty from the savvy 30-year-old.

By signing him on loan, we haven't compromised our pursuit of the utopian target (Adam Wharton) further down the line, but if Palhinha does hit the ground running and stars for us next season, then we have the option to buy him permanently for less than £30m. As it stands, the Portuguese international is a stop-gap, and a very good one at that.

He wants to be here, and Frank's thrilled to have him on board. It's the intangibles which render this move savvy, and I don't want you stressing out because your favourite social media 'tactico' isn't convinced by his progressive passes percentile.