(Credit: Imago)

Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Wed 13 May 2026 15:55, UK

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Tottenham Hotspur will turn towards other central midfield targets if they fail to get a permanent move for Joao Palhinha over the line this summer, sources have told Football Insider.

The Lilywhites are now planning for the eventuality that the Portuguese’s stay in North London doesn’t become permanent, and they are working to assess their other options.

Spurs are adamant that they want to add at least one new centre-midfielder to their squad ahead of next season, regardless of which league they end up in for 2026-27.

The recruitment team are already beginning to explore that market in the event that a deal cannot be struck with Bayern Munich for Palhinha to remain at the club permanently.

The exact details of Tottenham’s midfield transfer plans will hinge on the outcome of their relegation battle, but there is no doubt that they will add numbers in that area of the pitch this summer.

Joao Palhinha future ‘out of Tottenham’s hands’

Football Insider revealed on Tuesday that Palhinha’s future is now “out of Tottenham’s hands,” as links over a move to Sporting CP continue to intensify.

The possibility of a return to his boyhood club is understood to be open for Palhinha due to personal reasons, which would leave Spurs awaiting his own decision before they could proceed towards a deal.

Bayern Munich are adamant that they will not be keeping the 30-year-old, while Tottenham have shown a keen interest in negotiating a lower fee than their initial £25million purchase option.

Roberto De Zerbi has already made it clear that he values the veteran’s leadership and wants to keep him around as part of his group for next term, but his future is beyond the club’s grasp at the moment.

Palhinha’s own desires at this stage of his career are set to dictate whether he will return to his homeland ahead of next season, or whether he is still keen to stay in the Premier League.

He has been in and out of the Tottenham team throughout the campaign, but De Zerbi has trusted him to start some of their crucial games in recent weeks.

Spurs to ‘pull out all the stops’ for new contract

Football Insider revealed earlier this week that Spurs are working hard to get Luka Vuskovic to sign a lucrative new contract to extend his stay in North London.

The 19-year-old centre-back is attracting interest from some of the world’s biggest clubs after an eye-catching loan spell with Hamburg this term, but Tottenham are desperate to avoid a sale.

Vuskovic is already believed to be on a sizeable contract with the capital club, but they are now set to “pull out all the stops” to get him to agree a fresh deal this summer.

The Croatian is seen as a player who could become a superstar for the Lilywhites long-term, but it looks set to be a pivotal summer for his future.

Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Liverpool have all been sniffing around the starlet of late, and there are plenty of other clubs waiting to pounce if he makes noises about moving.