Fulham boss sends Joao Palhinha message after another transfer confession
Fulham boss Marco Silva takes no issue with Joao Palhinha disclosing his feelings of regret over his failed Bayern Munich transfer.
The 28-year-old spoke from the heart this week while away on international duty with Portugal, admitting the collapse of his move to Bavaria "really affected" both him and his family.
Palhinha has since penned a new long-term contract with the Cottagers but also conceded that he wants to play at a "higher level" during the same damning interview. Bayern remain public about their interest and are expected to try and finalise the deal in January at the second time of asking.
However, Silva wants his compatriot to continue improving in west London to help raise his side's performance levels before his future is inevitably reassessed this winter.
"Joao said what's inside of him," said Silva, who will be without the suspended Palhinha for Monday's clash with Wolves.
"What I've been seeing from Joao from the day after that tough period during the last week of the market was that he was ready to train, ready to work hard and ready to help the team. And that's it. Of course he wants to perform better, I want him to perform better but one thing that nobody can complain about is his attitude and commitment."
Silva was rather abrupt when quizzed on whether Bayern's ongoing interest in Palhinha could prove to be a lingering distraction during the coming weeks. He added: "For me it's no distraction because I know what I will do and I know what is my job. I know what to expect from all of the players in the football club and that is the same."
The visit of Wolves could prove to be the perfect acid test for Fulham and how they may potentially cope without their tough-tackling talisman in the future. But Silva's greater concern rests with inspiring a collective response from his players after suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time this season.
"For some reason Joao has always been playing ever since he arrived in this football club," he said. "It means that he's an important player for us. It's not new. Last season he had some games out and, of course, the results were not the best for us.
"Now it's another good opportunity for us to show we can do it - not because Joao is not going to play but we want to react from the last few games which were not good results for us. It's about much more than the fact Joao will not play."
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Marco Silva is desperate to keep hold of star man Joao Palhinha in the January transfer window (Sky Sports)Meanwhile, sidelined striker Rodrigo Muniz is a January target for Brazilian outfit Atletico Mineiro. Silva has slowly warmed to the 22-year-old forward, who has not featured since sustaining a knee injury during the 1-0 defeat to Manchester United.
Raul Jimenez and Carlos Vinicius have both struggled for goals this term and the issue could be addressed when the transfer market reopens. Now Muniz, signed for £7million from Flamengo in 2021, is being lined up for a return to his homeland meaning Silva could be faced with a difficult decision over the player's future.
Fulham had been prepared to offload the former Middlesbrough loanee in the summer but their stance on a sale is now likely to have changed following his recent promising cameos in attack.
The Cottagers have been tipped as potential suitors for Timo Werner, who can leave RB Leipzig on loan but the German's wages are likely to prove problematic even if interest does prove to be genuine. Furthermore, sources close to Wolfsburg striker Jonas Wind have also played down recent links with the Dane claiming a move "is not hot".
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