Tottenham to make Palhinha permanent and bid for Mikautadze

Tottenham Hotspur are moving to make Joao Palhinha a permanent member of their squad after the Portugal midfielder impressed following a summer loan from Bayern Munich, and the club is also reported to be preparing a separate bid for Villarreal striker Georges Mikautadze as it looks to bolster its attacking options. Palhinha joined Spurs on loan at the start of the season with an option to buy set at around 26 million, and the club has signalled it intends to exercise that option after the 30 year old quickly became a central figure in Thomas Frank's midfield.

Palhinha has provided defensive cover and physicality that have helped Tottenham's structure under Frank. He scored a last minute equaliser in the Premier League draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers and featured in the Champions League game against Bodo/Glimt. Performance data show he has been among the most active tacklers in Europe this month and leads Premier League metrics for tackles and duels won for Spurs, with strong pass accuracy and a growing goals return in recent starts. The player has told club staff he would like to remain in north London, and Spurs are preparing to convert the loan into a permanent transfer at...