Newcastle have reportedly rekindled their interest in Fulham’s Joao Palhinha ahead of what looks to be an active summer window. The 27-year-old has been a revelation since signing for Fulham last summer for the bargain fee of £17m.
The Sun is reporting Newcastle are among six Premier League clubs holding an interest in Palhinha. For Newcastle, the interest is not new as he was on their radar as recently as February of last year.
Newcastle didn’t move for the Portuguese international, who has starred at Craven Cottage for the resurgent Cottagers. The defensive midfielder’s value has increased significantly just 8 months after from his move to West London.
The Portuguese international is one of the primary reasons Fulham are fighting for a European place in their return to the Premier League. Fulham has fallen off the pace in recent weeks without their suspended midfield enforcer.
There are some issues with Newcastle’s interest as he doesn’t quite fit the profile at St. James’ Park. He’ll turn 28 this summer while his price tag could reach a staggering £50m with Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham on his trail.
Palhinha would be an outstanding signing but Newcastle are likely to look elsewhere for their deep-lying midfielder. The club have shown they will not overspend and prefer to sign targets under the age of 25.

116 comments so far
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:48 PM
Comment #1Aaaand next!
Adamn_92
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:49 PM
Comment #2Great player, been very impressive for Fulham. But, can’t see any truth in this to be honest. Probably (I hope!) looking for an attack minded midfielder like Maddison or someone a little younger if we’re after a defensive midfielder.
Personally I think Joelinton, Longstaff and Bruno can all do that defensive midfielder role though, so a creative midfielder is a more pressing position to sort out.
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:52 PM
Comment #3Good player exactly the type of defensive midfielder we need
I doubt Fulham would sell him for a reasonable fee and we would be able to get better value for what they would ask
@AP
Its difficult to see in terms of a top value market player who would attract interest but could still do a job in the premier league
Someone like Harry Kane!? Or you could go down the USA superstar Pulisic or a top quality Asian player from Japan or South Korea to build the brand?
Some of the most valuable youngsters at the moment are Mbappe, Bellingham and Halaand not sure we can get them to our project
Or is it a case of by next season Bruno,Isak and Botman are proper house hold names for us strutting it in the champs league?
Lee Charnley Bunga Party
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:54 PM
Comment #4Eales will sort our brand we keep playing the type of football that we did against Wolves then we will naturally attract more fans and sponsorship because the football is great to watch
geordie157
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:54 PM
Comment #5We won’t need him, we’ll have Rice instead haha
If West Ham go down, the price might slightly too. Surely he’ll be off this summer, just hope it’s not to Chelsea, Liverpool or Man U.
cleveleysbob
Mar 14, 2023 at 2:54 PM
Comment #6It won’t be long before we’ve been “linked” with every player in PL, La Liga, Bundesliga etc. you get my point. There’s simply so many “links” now it becomes boring.
Something that might excite us a few years ago, just gets batted away now as “not another one”.
It’s a shame, but the journos will keep it up for ever so long as they hit their “click target”.
ToonDarnSarf
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:01 PM
Comment #7TS – yeah, our progress on the pitch will lead to progress with our finanical situation, which means more money for signings for sure. We must be one of the most exciting projects in world football now and one that many sponsors would love to be associated with.
cleveleysbob
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:02 PM
Comment #8We are becoming the best team to watch in PL right now. I think Arsenal are just pipping us, but other than them we are the Team.
Already, broadcasters have cottoned on as virtually every game now is televised by someone.
I suspect our viewing figures in 1st half of season have created that demand for more and boy are they getting it. If I’m not mistaken, only 1 x game since the New Year hasn’t been “live” somewhere. And this looks set to continue after the International break as all but 1 of Aprils games is picked up too.
NUFC – the team everyone wants to watch!! – Fab. 😀
idahomagpie
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:03 PM
Comment #9I don’t know why we’d need a defensive midfielder when Schar could easily slot in. Obviously he knows how to position himself well, he passes well, and he could be farther up the field to take the occasional shot on goal. Burn/Lascelles could move back into the CB position and we could spend our money on Maddison and/or another offensive minded player.
ToonDarnSarf
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:03 PM
Comment #10geordie157 – even more ridiculous that Chelsea had players like de Bruyne, Salah, and Lukaku at their club when they were young and loaned them out without doing much with them!
DrGloom
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:04 PM
Comment #11TDS – Just as many sponsors won’t want to be associated with us as it will bring the press and amnesty international etc on them like a ton of bricks… it’s a who needs it scenario for some… I don’t think it will put others off, especially those wanting to sell into foreign markets where they care little for what the U.K press say.
Weird that F1 gets away with it so easily
DrGloom
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:05 PM
Comment #12Didn’t we once try Schar as defensive mid … he just kept getting in the way of our CB’s as far as I remember
ToonDarnSarf
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:08 PM
Comment #13Gloom – plenty of sponsors wanted to associate themselves with the World Cup in Qatar. Amnesty International are just trying to get their own agenda some publicity, I don’t blame them for that. Really the anti-Toon rhetoric gets very little publicity in the scheme of things.
ToonDarnSarf
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:10 PM
Comment #14Why would we put a specialist centre back in as a defensive midfielder? Isn’t that the kind of thing Bruce would have done and be slated for it?
I want to see Schar play in his best position and play midfielders in midfield please.
Ap
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:11 PM
Comment #15Just get Kante for midfield
Adamn_92
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:24 PM
Comment #16Tonali would be a great option to go for as a young defensive midfielder. Probably be expensive though.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:25 PM
Comment #17It’s all very well saying so and so can do a job in DM but that not only weakens us in the position they vacate but we need someone who can more than ”do a job” we need, imo another box to box mid on the same level as Bruno, Tielemans would be ideal as per stats he is virtually the same as Bruno, if Rice is priced out of the equation then Conor Gallagher for me, 23 years old, 6’1”, solid, excellent passing and tackling and a keen eye for goal. Get him.
dazzler
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:26 PM
Comment #18TDS,
A lot of fans were crying for him to play there because he likes to run with the ball and play through balls/long passes.
I think it may have been Rafa who tried him there, since he barely got a sniff under Bruce although I could be wrong.
Either way, he was shite in midfield and was never played there again.
dazzler
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:30 PM
Comment #19Raj,
Schar can’t do a job in midfield either, we’ve seen it and it was atrocious. It almost made me forget how handsome he is, almost.
ToonDarnSarf
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:32 PM
Comment #20Dazzler – I wouldn’t trust “a lot of fans” to select our team instead of Howe any more than I’d trust them to fly a plane instead of a qualified pilot to be honest mate…
Lots of fans seem to be advocating change for change’s sake. I know some people are just spitballing, and that’s fine, but that seems like an odd suggestion to me. He’s doing well at CB and that’s his specialist position, I only want to see him in midfield in an absolute emergency.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:34 PM
Comment #21dazzler,
Someone suggested we play him as a striker in the beginning of the season. Honestly, why? Because he is handsome 😮
dazzler
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:34 PM
Comment #22TDS,
Not even in an emergency. In an emergency change formation. He was truly terrible in the position. You’re lucky if you don’t remember the time we played him there.
dazzler
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:38 PM
Comment #23Raj,
Who suggested that? He’s a great ball playing defender but he can’t attack corners or crosses to save his life, and one in 30 shots outside the box go in the net via the post, he’s hardly prolific.
I’d rather Lascelles upfront, at least he knows how to attack a set piece.
I hope whoever suggested it has their club membership revoked.
dazzler
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:41 PM
Comment #24According to transfermarkt. Schar has played in DM for us three times
Lost 5-1 to Man City – This is the game I recall.
Lost 2-1 to Watford
Lost 4-1 to Man Utd
Is the job he can do there weaken the defence by not playing there and weaken the midfield by playing there? If so, he’s the man for the job.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:44 PM
Comment #25dazzler,
I can’t remember but it would have been someone who hated Chris Wood 😀
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:45 PM
Comment #26dazzler,
wow, is transfermarkt that detailed it has info like that.
dazzler
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:46 PM
Comment #27Raj,
That’s a mighty long list tbf, we’d have crowds like Man City if we revoked all those club memberships. 😀
ToonDarnSarf
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:47 PM
Comment #28Dazzler – I remember him not being good there. When I saw emergency, I’m kinda talking all 3 of our midfielders get injured during a match kind of emergency. It’s just not a feasible option to consider for me. We’ve got 5 central midfielders on our books now and will certainly sign 1 or 2 more this summer. Hopefully, players never have to play out of position again.
dazzler
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:47 PM
Comment #29Raj,
Yeah it’s mint. Search the player, click stats and it basically outlines their entire career and you can filter on season, club, competition, playing position and all sorts.
dazzler
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:49 PM
Comment #30TDS,
Unless the two we normally have on the bench also get injured during their warm up I’d like to think we’d be able to avoid it.
dazzler
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:53 PM
Comment #31Raj,
Transfermarkt is great for when people tell you Isak is a capable winger and that’s where we should be playing him and you look and see he’s only ever played 4 games as a winger. Albeit he scored two goals in those 4 games so he’s technically more prolific out wide.
Toon fans bad
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:58 PM
Comment #32Woah, seems to be a lot of football chit chat on the this Airfryer blog 😆
Toon fans bad
Mar 14, 2023 at 3:59 PM
Comment #3323 folk see a Forest win, sheesh!
magscar
Mar 14, 2023 at 4:08 PM
Comment #34https://youtu.be/Dc2X3y4zT14
Match cam from Sunday for those who enjoy( like I do)
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 14, 2023 at 4:08 PM
Comment #35Don’t recall anyone saying they hated Chris Wood, I for one didn’t think he was much cop as a player, but hate, really!
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 14, 2023 at 4:10 PM
Comment #36I could see Colback getting a real roasting from our lads and ending up with a red!
dazzler
Mar 14, 2023 at 4:14 PM
Comment #37EGB,
You’d be surprised! The venom he seemed to catch was appalling at times. I think there were genuinely resented him simply for the fact that he wasn’t the player they wanted us to sign, and never gave him a chance.
If he’d stayed longer he’d have gotten the Joselu treatment I reckon.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 14, 2023 at 4:19 PM
Comment #38EGB,
Maybe hate was the wrong word, just to be politically bloody correct,
dazzler,
I can’t remember but it would have been someone who disliked Chris Wood 😀
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 14, 2023 at 4:24 PM
Comment #39dazzler,
I don’t think it’s a coincidence but he played one minute of the Fulham game after we’d scored and that was his last appearance, I think the fans had had enough after that SW miss, even the likes of me had stopped defending him, I think by that time his confidence was totally shot and the crowd would have turned if he’s missed another sitter, Eddie H seen that and he was gone. Plus it was a deal pretty much too good to be true.
Raj of Hailsley
Mar 14, 2023 at 4:25 PM
Comment #40Tfb,
As long as Gary Lineker keeps quiet we might have a peaceful blog 😀