Sources: Joao Palhinha 'frontrunner' revealed as Newcastle plot Aston Villa hijack
Aston Villa remain the "frontrunners" to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha this summer, sources have told Football Insider.
Newcastle United have also identified the Portuguese as a clear midfield target in recent days, but their Premier League rivals have already held talks over a deal.
Villa are working towards an agreement with Bayern to sign the Portuguese on a loan deal, and the expectation is that it will be very difficult for Newcastle to hijack the move.
The Magpies are keen to add an experienced midfielder to their squad before the 1 September transfer deadline, and sources say that Marseille's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is currently their "top target."
Palhinha is also understood to prefer the idea of a move to Villa Park, given the club's ability to offer Champions League football this season.
Tottenham repeat for Joao Palhinha suits Aston Villa
Palhinha spent last season on loan in the Premier League with Tottenham, but endured an up-and-down campaign for the Lilywhites.
He notched five goals and two assists from 33 league appearances, but did not do enough to convince the North London outfit to trigger their purchase option for him.
Villa are working on a deal with a similar structure at the moment, and it is understood that a loan-to-buy deal is their preference.
That would suit the second city outfit perfectly given their ongoing SCR concerns, which remain an issue despite the sales of Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans.
Emery and Co. have lost quality in the middle of the park due to Tielemans' exit and Amadou Onana's injury, and they are now working to rebuild their midfield options.
Joao Gomes has already arrived from Wolves to bolster that area of the squad, and Palhinha could soon join him to complement Emery's other options.
Unai Emery in 'confrontation' over Aston Villa transfers
Former Villa scout Bryan King told Football Insider last week that Emery is hugely frustrated with the way the summer has played out in recent weeks.
The boss has lost several of his key players from last season, and the club have largely replaced them with younger players who are looking to prove themselves.
King indicated that he heard there has been a "confrontation" between Emery and the club hierarchy, due to a disagreement in how the transfer business has unfolded.
Villa know they need to strenthen for their return to the Champions League, but they are still lacking the room to spend freely in the market.