Former Liverpool defender José Enrique has his eyes on João Palhinha for the Reds in the January transfer window, but he thinks it’s best to wait. He reckons that Palhinha, who nearly moved to Bayern Munich last summer, could be a great addition to Liverpool’s midfield. However, Fulham’s high asking price might be a stumbling block.
The 28-year-old Portuguese midfielder is on the radar of many top clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. But Enrique is confident that if Liverpool joins the race, it will come out on top.
“João Palhinha has been linked with Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham. Firstly, I don’t think you can put Tottenham in that conversation in terms of pulling power alongside the likes of Liverpool and United… they’re not the same,” said Enrique.
He added: “I think Palhinha is a great player and I would love him at Liverpool. I think he is exactly the kind of player that Liverpool need in midfield. However, if they try to sign him in January then I think Fulham will ask for a fee that no one is willing to pay.
“In the summer window, it is a different story. I think something is more likely to happen with him then. In January, Fulham will probably ask for over £100m (c. $127m) for him and no one is going to pay that, but they will be back for him in the summer.”
Palhinha is not the only player to be linked with a Liverpool move. Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips has also been linked for a while (including by the Daily Mirror).
“When it comes to Phillips potentially joining Liverpool, it comes down to whether or not Manchester City would want to sell to a direct rival,” 37-year-old Enrique told Grosvenor Sport.
“City spent a lot of money on Phillips and they are going to want to recoup some of that. If Liverpool are going to have to spend big either way, then I would rather they sign Palhinha over Phillips. I don’t think Phillips is worth that kind of money right now but there is every chance that he will be again in the future.”
“I like him a lot and he is obviously a good player because Manchester City signed him, but you have to question why he isn’t playing at all it’s not normal. For me, it largely depends on how much money City want for him.”
Liverpool.com says: A number six should potentially be a priority for Liverpool in 2024 but neither Palhinha nor Phillips will be targets. Palhinha is simply above the age profile of player that the Reds would look to bring in, while Manchester City would never let Phillips join a rival.
