Sources: Major update on West Ham bid to sign Palhinha after near-record bid
Fulham have warned West Ham about making another move for Joao Palhinha after rejecting their opening £45million bid, sources have told Football Insider.
David Moyes’ side have made Palhinha their top target this summer as they seek to find a replacement for Declan Rice following his record-breaking move to Arsenal.
However, Fulham are adamant that Palhinha is not for sale and have warned West Ham not to waste their time making a new offer for the 28-year-old.
The Cottagers insist they do not want to lose the Portuguese star, who still has four years remaining on his contract.
The £45million bid from West Ham is close to being a club record for the Hammers, with Lucas Paqueta’s £51million move from Lyon last summer currently the club’s most expensive signing.
Palhinha only signed for Fulham last summer, and while West Ham’s bid would provide the Londoners with significant profit on their £20million investment, they value Palhinha even higher after an impressive debut season in the Premier League.
Palhinha made 40 appearances for Fulham last season, including 35 in the Premier League.
He played a pivotal role in Marco Silva’s side, scoring three goals and providing the defence with a layer of protection through his relentless workrate.
Palhinha’s superb defensive work was shown through his tackling stats, with the Portugal international topping the Premier League for tackles made in 2022/23 with 148 – 48 more than Moises Caicedo in second place.
As a result of his impressive season, Palhinha was named Fulham’s Player of the Year for 2022/23 with 58 per cent of the votes.
In other news, West Ham open official talks to sign Conor Gallagher