Liverpool put ‘fantastic’ PL player back on the table as Fabinho’s replacement, his club want £90m

Liverpool are set to reconsider a move for Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha this summer.

Palhinha had previously been seen as one of the players under consideration for Liverpool’s midfield rebuild. However, with Fulham reportedly demanding £90m to sell the Portugal international, nothing concrete ever emerged.

But now, according to the Liverpool Echo, the Reds could reignite their interest. They claim that Palhinha is now on a shortlist of players to replace Fabinho.

The Brazilian is set to join Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad, leaving Liverpool short of a natural defensive midfielder. Although it’s claimed they had already been looking for Fabinho’s long-term replacement this summer – with Romeo Lavia and Ryan Gravenberch identified – they are now having to find an immediate solution.

As a result, three players who had ‘previously been dismissed,’ are now ‘back on the table.’ Those three are Sofyan Amrabat, Kalvin Phillips and Palhinha.

There are also said to be other names on that list, but these aren’t put forward at this stage.

Liverpool take another look at Palhinha

If Liverpool’s transfer window was interesting before, it’s just got downright fascintating.

Some had predicted the sale of Fabinho after a poor season last time out. But it seems as though Jurgen Klopp wasn’t entertaining that this summer.

Instead, bringing in a younger understudy like Lavia while the Brazil international stuck around had seemed much more likely.

Thanks to Al Ittiahad though, that looks like now going out of the window. That’s fine, Liverpool would have needed to refresh sooner or later anyway. This move simply brings that forward a year or two.

Of course, the problem now is that the Reds have no margin for error. They haven’t brought Alexis Mac Allister or Dominik Szoboszlai in to play defensive midfield and others in the squad aren’t a natural fit there, either.

He may not be the most glamorous signing, but Palhinha is. The 28-year-old was brilliant for Fulham last season and at times resembled Fabinho in his absolute prime. As Gary Neville said on The Overlap, he was ‘fantastic’ in that deep-lying role.

If the Cottagers hold out for their huge valuation though, we just don’t see how this gets past the drawing board. One to keep an eye on nonetheless.