West Ham United are expected to part ways with Declan Rice this summer.
Arsenal are keen on signing the 24-year-old England international and the Gunners are close to agreeing on a deal for him.
The Hammers are reportedly looking at potential replacements and the Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha is reportedly on their radar.
A report from Football Insider claims that Fulham value the player at £60 million and it remains to be seen whether West Ham are prepared to pay up for him.
Palhinha has been a key player for Fulham this past season and he managed to hit the ground running in the Premier League.
The 27-year-old joined the club from Sporting CP last summer and he established himself as an indispensable asset for Marco Silva.
There is no doubt that he would be a quality signing for West Ham this summer.
The Hammers will be competing in the UEFA Europa League next season, and they will need a quality squad to do well across all competitions.
Rice has been the best player at the club over the past year and West Ham will have to replace him adequately.
Palhinha will add defensive cover and drive to the midfield. The 27-year-old Portuguese international is adept at winning the ball back for his side as well.
The midfielder might look to take the next step in his career and joining the club with European football could be an attractive option for him.
However, the asking price seems quite steep and it remains to be seen whether the Hammers are ready to break the bank for him. They should have no shortage of financial resources, especially once Rice is sold.
With fair play rules limiting overall spending , Westham can’t afford Palinha at 60 million although he is a great player worth the money . Westham need about 5 new players with a maximum spend of about 130 million .