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‘Lucky’ Tottenham beat competition from Premier League rivals to land this midfield powerhouse

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Rohan Sengupta | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 12:41 PM ET

Tottenham Hotspur pulled off a coup by beating Everton to the loan signing of Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich

Tottenham Hotspur ended the summer transfer window on a high note after a difficult start.

Spurs confirmed the £21million permanent signing of Kevin Danso from RC Lens on June 1, before opting to turn Mathys Tel’s loan into a permanent deal from Bayern Munich. They completed the acquisition of Mohammed Kudus from London rivals West Ham United and teenage prospect Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale in July.

Joao Palhinha followed, but it all went wrong after that and in between for Daniel Levy and Tottenham. Despite agreeing personal terms with Morgan Gibbs-White, he ended up signing a new three-year deal at Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, the Lilywhites’ attempts to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace were hijacked by arch-rivals Arsenal, which led to more criticism for Daniel Levy.

However, Levy did redeem himself with the signings of Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani in the final week of the transfer window. Now that the transfer window is done and dusted, there has been a revelation that should give the fans some joy.

Tottenham beat Everton to sign Joao Palhinha

Spurs signed Joao Palhinha on a season-long loan deal from Bayern Munich at the start of last month. The defensive midfielder has made an instant in Thomas Frank’s side and netted his first Tottenham goal in the stunning 2-0 away win over Manchester City in the second weekend of the Premier League season.

According to a report from The Athletic, Everton felt they had a decent chance of signing the Portugal international from Bayern Munich. However, Tottenham intervened and lured Palhinha to north London by offering him UEFA Champions League football, with Frank admitting later the club were “lucky” to get him.

This shows how vital it was for the Lilywhites to win the Europa League and subsequently qualify for the Champions League, which thankfully, they did. Playing in the elite European competition has often been a top draw for international players and seasoned campaigners, and Palhinha was no different. Despite finishing above Spurs in the Premier League last season, Everton’s failure to even qualify for Europe was perhaps the biggest reason why they missed out on Palhinha’s signing.

Palhinha has immediately made a difference at Tottenham

From Tottenham’s perspective, getting in the 30-year-old was a strategic move. Tottenham have been crying out for a rabid, tenacious defensive midfielder who can do the dirty work and allow the flair players to express themselves in the final third. Palhinha exactly falls in that mould of a No.6, and his initial showings in a Spurs shirt are enough to fill the fans with optimism.

When Champions League football commences and other cup competitions kicks in as well, Frank will need a big squad to tackle all of them. With Yves Bissouma poised to depart for Turkey as the transfer window there does not slam shut until September 12, and James Maddison ruled out for the majority of the season following an ACL injury, Spurs have done a smart job to strengthen the midfield unit with Palhinha’s addition. The Portuguese’s experience could be key for Frank’s side this term.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

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