Fulham reject West Ham bid for Joao Palhinha

• Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha was one of the best midfielders in the Premier League last season
• Several clubs are interested in the midfielder this summer transfer window
• West Ham has seen a £50m bid for the Portuguese rejected by Fulham

Fulham has turned down a substantial £50m bid made by West Ham United for their star midfielder, Joao Palhinha. The Hammers are urgently seeking to bolster their midfield this summer following the departure of their captain, Declan Rice, who was sold to Arsenal for a record-breaking fee of £105m. This significant move left West Ham with a void to fill in their midfield but also provided them with a substantial transfer budget to address the situation.

Identifying Palhinha as an ideal replacement for Rice, West Ham set their sights on the Fulham midfielder due to his outstanding performance during the 2022/23 season. In his debut Premier League campaign, Palhinha exhibited remarkable skills, completing nearly 40 more tackles and interceptions than any other player in the division. He played a crucial role in guiding Fulham to a commendable 10th-place finish in their first season back in the top-flight league.

Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha is a West Ham target for this summer transfer. | PHOTO; Sky Sports |

READ: English top clubs hunt Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha

Initial reports indicated that Fulham had already rebuffed an earlier inquiry about the 28-year-old’s availability, and now they have once again rejected a follow-up bid of £50m from the London club. It is understood that Marco Silva’s team is holding out for a higher sum of £60m to part ways with Palhinha, a figure that West Ham seems reluctant to surpass.

In light of this rejection, West Ham has started considering alternative options to strengthen their midfield. Among the potential targets are Youssouf Fofana from Monaco, Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City, and Amadou Onana from Everton. Additionally, they are exploring the possibility of a loan deal with an option to buy Denis Zakaria, who previously spent the last season on loan at Chelsea from Juventus.

Should West Ham fail to secure new signings for their midfield, their manager, David Moyes, will be left with limited options, relying solely on Tomas Soucek and Flynn Downes in the deeper positions of the team’s midfield.

As the transfer window continues, it remains to be seen whether West Ham will be willing to meet Fulham’s valuation of Palhinha or if they will explore other avenues to reinforce their squad for the upcoming season. Time will tell if the Hammers can successfully find a suitable replacement for Rice and fortify their midfield to compete at the highest level in the Premier League.