Premier League in love with the pivot that could have replaced Busquets

It seems that the name 'Joao' is synonymous with success, as after Joao Cancelo and Joao Félix, the third in line is Joao Palhinha, the 'stopper' from Fulham who is on his way to becoming one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. While he shone in his position last season, he seems to have taken it a step further now. His performance against Arsenal was extraordinary, and it's worth remembering that this talented Portuguese pivot was once considered an alternative to Sergio Busquets at FC Barcelona.

Palhinha wanted to shift the spotlight away from Declan Rice and be the best player on the Emirates Stadium pitch, and he certainly achieved that. The former Sporting Portugal player was the engine and reference point for Fulham, a team that lost Mitrovic but gained one of the best 'number 5s' in the Premier League. After being the breakthrough player last season, he has become the new leader of the team this season.

At 28 years old, Joao Palhinha is firmly established in the elite of English football. He combines power with technique to play the ball out from the back, and he has the ability to drive forward and break opponent lines. He makes the difficult look easy and knows exactly when to take risks and when not to. However, his standout skill lies in the art of tackling.

There's no ball that doesn't go through his feet when the opponent has it. He anticipates well and is willing to challenge when necessary. Last season, he recorded the most successful tackles of any player in the five major European leagues, with 148 successful anticipations resulting in ball recoveries. It's no wonder he was voted the best player by the fans.

He's also quite adept at heading the ball. Just ask Mikel Arteta. After his performance in the London derby, Marco Silva didn't hesitate to heap praise on his star player, who could be instrumental in the team's growth this season. "He's a key player for us, absolutely. That's why we did everything we could to sign him and did the same to keep him this summer," admitted the coach. Just a few weeks ago, Fulham rejected an offer from West Ham of around 50 million euros for the Portuguese midfielder. His value is much higher for the 'Cottagers'.

During an exhaustive casting search for the 'new Busquets', FC Barcelona considered Joao Palhinha alongside names like Brozovic, Amrabat, Florentino Luis, and the eventual signing, Oriol Romeu, along with Ilkay Gündogan. The club valued his physical profile and improvement with the ball, but it came to naught.

Palhinha was already offered in the summer of 2022, but his signing was eventually discarded, and the same has happened this summer. Fulham acquired him for 20 million from Sporting Portugal, and his current market value has tripled. He's definitely someone to keep a close eye on.