West Ham United want to sign Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich this summer, according to journalist Christian Falk.

Both West Ham and Joao Palhinha have had poor seasons this time out. The Hammers sit 17th in the Premier League table with only the three poor promoted sides keeping them in the top flight.

Palhinha has had a tough season at Bayern Munich after joining from Fulham for £45m. He has made just 22 appearances this season, playing just 38% of the minutes available to him. While they look likely to pip Bayer Leverkusen to the title, Palhinha really hasn’t had much input.

The Hammers might want to bring Palhinha back to the Premier League, where he will undoubtedly be an important first team player. We have had a long-standing interest in Joao Palhinha, with our interest starting two summers ago.

Fulham rejected a £45m bid from West Ham for the midfielder in July 2023 under David Moyes. The Portugal International would have really suited the Scotsman’s style of football, but it’s hard to see him fitting into how Graham Potter wants his teams to play.

The 29-year-old isn’t bad on the ball, but his biggest strengths are defensively. His tackle and interception numbers were second to none during his time in West London. While we do need a bit more security in midfield, we need someone who is excellent in possession, not another player with similar characteristics to Edson Alvarez.

No to mention we probably do not have the funds to buy a midfielder of that reputation. Bayern Munich would likely demand £35m for the midfielder at the very least. That would make a deal almost impossible with striker and central defender said to be the priority positions for Potter this summer.