Fabrizio Romano confirms Arsenal interest in Joao Palhinha

Fabrizio Romano has revealed Arsenal’s strong interest in securing Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha ahead of the January transfer window.

The Gunners are having a good season, leading the Premier League standings by two points despite missing key players like Thomas Partey through injury for the majority of the campaign. The Ghanaian’s absence has forced Arsenal into the transfer market for midfield reinforcement although summer signing Declan Rice and veteran Jorginho are keeping things ticking for Mikel Arteta.

Romano disclosed Arsenal’s admiration for Palhinha’s talents, signaling a genuine desire to bring the player on board.

Fabrizio Romano confirms Arsenal interest in Joao Palhinha

The speculations swirling around Arsenal’s interest in Palhinha have gained momentum on various social media platforms. Romano’s confirmation has further fuelled discussions regarding the potential transfer.

During the summer transfer window, Palhinha was on the brink of a move to Bayern Munich until the deal collapsed dramatically on deadline day. The Portuguese midfielder subsequently returned to Craven Cottage and extended his tenure with Fulham. However, the possibility of his departure in the upcoming January window remains plausible.

While affirming Arsenal’s genuine interest, Romano highlighted two key factors that could impede the completion of a deal. 

Speaking on Kick, he said: “What I can confirm about Palhinha… is that there are also English clubs interested in Palhinha. One of those clubs is Arsenal. It is true that Arsenal appreciate the player. There are some people at the club who consider Palhinha a very good player. It’s one of the players they discussed internally.”

However, Romano pointed out significant hurdles, notably Palhinha’s age and the financial aspect. Approaching 29 next year, Palhinha’s age does not align with Arsenal’s preference for younger signings. Financially, the club may be reluctant to make a substantial investment after already committing significant resources to secure Rice in the summer.

“There are two issues – the first one is the age, he’s not a super young player. I think next year he will be 29. Also, the price. Arsenal cannot spend that amount of money, something like £70-80m on one more midfielder after spending the big amount of money they invested on Declan Rice,” Romano elucidated.

With Financial Fair Play a concern, it's expected that Arsenal will have to sell before they buy this winter.