Exclusive: Fulham force Bayern to pay up for key star Palhinha, with progress made on replacement signing

Fulham are not intending to sell on the cheap if Bayern Munich push to sign Joao Palhinha again in January, TEAMtalk can reveal. 

Reports out of Germany have suggested the Londoners are open to selling Palhinha for less than the £57million fee that had been agreed between the two clubs in August, before the deal collapsed in the final hours of the window.

Yet sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that such speculation is “PR talk” from the Munich side of the deal and that Fulham would see no sense in selling him below the value previously discussed.

Palhinha signed a new contract in September, tying him to the club until 2028, and his performance levels at Fulham have continued to be of a high standard.

Bayern want fans to know that they have not given up on signing the Portuguese midfield star but they have other considerations for the January window too and are not prepared to go on a mega-spend.

They know the player remains interested in joining them – and Fulham realise he will eventually move on, too – but the terms around such a deal are going to have to be right and striking an agreement early in the new year will not be straight forward.

Time will tell whether Bayern are going to show serious intent to sign him in January, but in the meantime Fulham are confident they are close to signing a midfielder that will help ease the transition from Palhinha, whenever he ends up leaving.

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Fulham close in on Andre deal

Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that a deal for Fluminense’s Andre is well progressed and the Whites are now hoping there is no late twist in the plot.

Andre was part of the Fluminense side that beat Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores final and he will also be taking part in the Club World Cup in December, when he will be putting himself in the shop window for the Brazilians one final time.

Arsenal and Liverpool are among clubs to have had an eye on Andre and Fulham hope they avoid a hijack. The Reds reportedly ruled themselves out of the race for Andre, instead prioritising signing central defender Goncalo Inacio of Sporting.

Jurgen Klopp had been keen on bolstering his defence in the summer window before the exits of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson forced his side to refocus on rebuilding the midfield instead.

Inacio’s contract runs until 2027 and includes a £52.4million exit clause and the Portuguese club have gone on record to confirm that this price will need to be met should any club wish to prise the defender away. As a result Liverpool will need to focus all their efforts on getting that deal over the line, leaving the door open for Fulham to sign Andre.

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