Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique believes Joao Palhinha could be an attainable player during the January transfer window, should the Reds be willing to meet Fulham’s hefty demands.
Palhinha came close to leaving his current employers during the summer for Bayern Munich, though saw a deal fall through at the eleventh hour to ensure he would remain put in the capital.
The 28-year-old remains a player of interest to many top clubs and Liverpool have been mentioned as a possible destination for the Portuguese holding midfielder, who first emerged as a target in July.
Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester are two other sides to have been linked with a move, but Enrique believes there will only be one winner should Liverpool officially enter the race.
“Joao Palhinha has been linked with Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham. Firstly, I don’t think you can put Tottenham in that conversation in terms of pulling power alongside the likes of Liverpool and United – they’re not the same,” said the Spaniard.
“I think Palhinha is a great player and I would love him at Liverpool. I think he is exactly the kind of player that Liverpool need in midfield. However, if they try to sign him in January then I think Fulham will ask for a fee that no-one is willing to pay. In the summer window it is a different story and I think something is more likely to happen with him then.
“In January, Fulham will probably ask for over £100million for him and no one is going to pay that, but they will be back for him in the summer.”
Also an admirer of Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips, Enrique believes a deal for Palhinha could be easier to complete due to the unlikelihood of City selling to a direct competitor for the Premier League title.
“When it comes to Kalvin Phillips potentially joining Liverpool, it comes down to whether or not Manchester City would want to sell to a direct rival,” the 37-year-old told Grosvenor Sport.
“City spent a lot of money on Phillips and they are going to want to recoup some of that. If Liverpool are going to have to spend big either way, then I would rather they sign Palhinha over Phillips. I don’t think Phillips is worth that kind of money right now but there is every chance that he will be again in the future.
“I like him a lot and he is obviously a good player because Manchester City signed him, but you have to question why he isn’t playing at all – it’s not normal. For me, it largely depends on how much money City want for him.”
