Roberto De Zerbi has expressed his desire for Tottenham Hotspur to activate the loan option and make Joao Palhinha's move from Bayern Munich permanent. The north London club holds an option to sign the 30-year-old Portugal international midfielder in the summer for £27 million.
Palhinha made his first start in four games under De Zerbi during Sunday's match against Aston Villa. He delivered an outstanding performance in a 2-1 victory, which saw Spurs collect seven points from their last three matches and move clear of the relegation zone.
'One hundred per cent,' De Zerbi responded when asked if he would like to retain Palhinha for the next season. 'We have to start from this type of people. More than players, we need reliable people, reliable players. Palhinha is one of the best, as a player for sure, but as a guy. I want to see players with the same passion, the same attitude, the same spirit and the same personality. We are lucky to have him with us.'
Since joining Spurs last summer under Thomas Frank, Palhinha has experienced an inconsistent run of appearances under three different managers. He has started only 20 of 35 Premier League games as Frank, interim boss Igor Tudor, and now De Zerbi have sought an effective midfield formula in a team that has struggled for consistency.
Several midfielders have been deployed in central roles, including Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall, Yves Bissouma, and January signing Conor Gallagher. At times, it seemed the option might not be taken up, but De Zerbi left no room for doubt.
Palhinha made a vital contribution last month at Wolverhampton Wanderers, coming off the bench to score the only goal and end Spurs' 15-match winless run in the Premier League. He was outstanding at Villa Park, forming a strong partnership with Bentancur.
'Palhinha did not play the first three games, and the fourth he was one of the best players on the pitch,' De Zerbi added.
The Spurs boss also confirmed that Dominic Solanke will miss Monday's game against Leeds United due to a hamstring injury. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario remains sidelined after undergoing hernia surgery.
