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Joao Palhinha & Mendes

Sussex Wolf

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I think he is an upgrade on donk which is the position i reckon he would most likely replace. These type of players never look outstanding but they do the dirty work well. If we get that european spot and we can convince neves to stay and dare i say it, bring in Sanches as well that would be a formidable midfield 3. Dreaming is for free.

Yeah I've seen quite a bit of him and he's very much in the Dendoncker mould, I dunno why some see him as a Neves replacement that is just bizarre not even similar in the slightest and TBH I would not want him for the fees being banded about.

I see him as a younger William Carvalho maybe a little more mobile and better passing which isn't exactly high praise.

Same for me. From the little I’ve seen of him, looks more like an upgrade on Donk. I get the idea that he could replace Neves in his PL Nuno incarnation, and allow Neves to play in a more Moutinho type role, but Lage is already doing that so now he would be more a Donk replacement.
 

SteveBullsKnee

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Still think we would be mad to let Mouts go unless he wants to make the move.
Agree entirely. I’d be tempted to still give him his current salary on a one year deal because financially that’s still better than paying a fee for someone else and a lesser wage, it’s not like he isn’t contributing. If anything he’s been better this year than last.
 

WolfInSheep'sClothing

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Think he's more one of those who do the dirty work if you like, break up play, simple passes, nothing flash like Neves or Moutinho.
Fans don't generally appreciate those players but managers and coaches do.
Moutinho and Neves do all that though! I guess he is more physical than both of them.
 

Keyser Soze

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Still think we would be mad to let Mouts go unless he wants to make the move.
I agree, he's shown once again what an important player he is to us and we should be looking to use his experience and desire to go into Management to potentially add him to the coaching team

The only way I could be comfortable with it is if it means a new contract for Neves on Moutinho's money, and he replaces him as our highest earner and we remain within budget... and we bring in a suitable younger replacement of course... if that's Palhinha/Sanches or whoever
 
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Black Country Wanderer

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Moutinho and Neves do all that though! I guess he is more physical than both of them.
Mouts less and less lately still has all the ability in the world but lacks pace and gives a lot of silly free kicks away
If Pahiinha came he would be the "snotter" in the team,something i think we have lacked,and that would allow Neves more freedom imo
 

Dan G WWFC

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He's an improvement on Donk but I wouldn't want him to replace Neves
 

JonahWolf

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Could be.
Then allow neves more freedom, like he used to have when Saiss played alongside him.
Exactly. Virtually any different kind of partner for Neves would be, on paper, better than Moutinho.
Either a ball carrying, attack minded one like Sanches, breaking lines, press resistant and creating spaces for him, or an aggressive water carrier like Palinha, protecting him and giving him more space to work in.

The concern would be Moutinho not renewing and Neves being off in the summer, as that would require Palinha AND a better ball player.
 

Peszkywolf

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Joao know he could be Wolves 1st summer signing
Don't know how much to believe from football fancast.....
But Palhinha seems to be almost as good as Neves in winning the ball back/interceptions, covering the midfield, and long passes. And getting into positions higher up the pitch. Think he'd get booked more in the prem, and not sure he's fast enough on the ball for the prem?
Neves does seem a bit classier on the ball (some would say shooting too, but IMO his shooting is a bit overated since the championship).

If we got 60m for Neves, could we bring in a similar midfielder in Palhinha for 30m, leaving us with 30m to upgrade CB?
 

Keyser Soze

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Romano said last summer that João Palhinha would be Neves's replacement, and we've heard a few times now he was nearly off and now almost certainly is... hard to imagine our 1st choice replacement isn't still the same player... and hopefully now at a more affordable price than last summer
 
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reanswolf

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Mouts less and less lately still has all the ability in the world but lacks pace and gives a lot of silly free kicks away
If Pahiinha came he would be the "snotter" in the team,something i think we have lacked,and that would allow Neves more freedom imo
It breaks my heart that we've had 2 supremely, technically-gifted CMs in Neves and Mouts but never really had a mobile CM as an option alongside.

Wouldnt it be great if we sold Donk and brought in Palhinha and Sanches (or maybe MGW) alongside Neves.
 

WolfLing

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It breaks my heart that we've had 2 supremely, technically-gifted CMs in Neves and Mouts but never really had a mobile CM as an option alongside.

Wouldnt it be great if we sold Donk and brought in Palhinha and Sanches (or maybe MGW) alongside Neves.

We've had Donk as our 'midfield winger'!

How many times this season have we seen him running onto chipped through ball, only to fail to bring it down?

Not the man for the job.
 

Supadavewolf

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Is Palinha that mobile? Hasn't looked so the times I've seen him play, and he's usually described as a "defensive", rather than "box to box", midfielder.

He'll probably do a decent enough job in front of the CBs.
 

Tring Wolf

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Palhinha was superb in the home game against Braga (suggested back then that he’d be somebody worth looking at).

If we have to lose Neves, him with two more progressive players ahead would probably be the best we could hope for.

Palhinha
MGW/Vitinha, Nunes/Sanches
 

Dan G WWFC

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Is Palinha that mobile? Hasn't looked so the times I've seen him play, and he's usually described as a "defensive", rather than "box to box", midfielder.

He'll probably do a decent enough job in front of the CBs.

I thought he looked slow but physical
 

Keyser Soze

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Palhinha was superb in the home game against Braga (suggested back then that he’d be somebody worth looking at).

If we have to lose Neves, him with two more progressive players ahead would probably be the best we could hope for.

Palhinha
MGW/Vitinha, Nunes/Sanches
With Moutinho added in to come off the bench late in games to help control, you look at that collection of names and, even with the massive loss of Neves, we'd be jsut about stronger over all

Palhinha/MGW/Nunes (Moutinho) > Neves, Donk, Moutinho (Cundle) ... just
 

WolfLing

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Palhinha was superb in the home game against Braga (suggested back then that he’d be somebody worth looking at).

If we have to lose Neves, him with two more progressive players ahead would probably be the best we could hope for.

Palhinha
MGW/Vitinha, Nunes/Sanches

He was very good in that game. As was Paulinho (a striker we have been linked to before) and their goalscorer, Ricardo Horta. Trincao also came on as a late sub for them in that game.

Yes, Palhinha might be a bit slow, but he's at an age where he's coming into his prime and good holding midfield players are very hard to come by!

It's why Rice is being valued so highly and why there will be a feeding frenzy for Kalvin Phillips if Leeds are relegated.
 

Peszkywolf

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Well if we do go 433, would Palhinha be too slow to be the holding midfielder to plug the gaps in the full backs or follow midfield runners? Would he be better in a 4231 with a more box to box next to him? Dunno.
I really like Neves, but if we got big £££ for him, then he's a high value player in a low value position if that makes sense?
 

Ironfistedmonk

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Think we've missed the boat on this guy with other teams sniffing around now, we won't get drawn in to a bidding war, I don't know if he would be worth getting in to one either
 

lets all have a disco

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Can't see Spurs being in for palhinha if I'm honest.....they have already got bentancur for next season........they are also committed to shelling out a bit in the summer already with loan obligations.......after the success of romano and the two juventus blokes I can see Conte and there director of football concentrating on others players from Italy.......
 

Sussex Wolf

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Think we've missed the boat on this guy with other teams sniffing around now, we won't get drawn in to a bidding war, I don't know if he would be worth getting in to one either

I suspect it’s long been agreed he’s coming to Wolves when Neves moves on. I don’t think we will miss out unless Neve stays or we have a total change of transfer philosophy.
 

SA Wolf

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I suspect it’s long been agreed he’s coming to Wolves when Neves moves on. I don’t think we will miss out unless Neve stays or we have a total change of transfer philosophy.
Not sure I agree, SW. We've been linked with Palhinha for a long time, but no player worth his salt would commit to an open-ended arrangement like that as circumstances change. What if Real or PSG or Bayern came in for Palhinha; do you think he would still come to Wolves because 'he agreed' to replace Neves at Wolves?
We might sign him, but not because of a long-held commitment in my opinion.
 

Sussex Wolf

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Not sure I agree, SW. We've been linked with Palhinha for a long time, but no player worth his salt would commit to an open-ended arrangement like that as circumstances change. What if Real or PSG or Bayern came in for Palhinha; do you think he would still come to Wolves because 'he agreed' to replace Neves at Wolves?
We might sign him, but not because of a long-held commitment in my opinion.

I am not saying that he could only come to Wolves, and if one of the clubs you listed put a big offer in, then I think it likely he moves there and not here. But I don’t think that level of club is after him yet. I think for Mendes, Wolves is a preferred club to put his talent in the spotlight so that one of those clubs then later go for them. At least until we can genuinely compete with them.
 

HowfenWolf

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The "Mendes Carousel" - where it stops no-one knows.Probably already given Jeff a couple of replacements for Ruben. If it is Palhinha, it wouldn"t be a bad move for him in the Wolves shop window, before moving to another club
 

sswolf

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I am not saying that he could only come to Wolves, and if one of the clubs you listed put a big offer in, then I think it likely he moves there and not here. But I don’t think that level of club is after him yet. I think for Mendes, Wolves is a preferred club to put his talent in the spotlight so that one of those clubs then later go for them. At least until we can genuinely compete with them.
He would choose spurs over wolves as it looks like they will be in champions league
 

Wolf in Kenilworth

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As sure as the sun rises in the morning this guy is coming to Wolves.

Only a matter of time.

I’m not against this by the way as our three central midfielders will be off. Who else we sign is more the question.
 
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reanswolf

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Like Tring, I too thought he was outstanding for Braga against us, he took Traore out a few times and was certainly way more mobile then than any of our current CMs.

If he is slower now then something has happened to him sadly.

When we spent £28m on Semedo and £35m on Fabio, we should have spent £15m bringing this lad in then.
 
D

Deleted member 8455jwf

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Like Tring, I too thought he was outstanding for Braga against us, he took Traore out a few times and was certainly way more mobile then than any of our current CMs.

If he is slower now then something has happened to him sadly.

When we spent £28m on Semedo and £35m on Fabio, we should have spent £15m bringing this lad in then.
When was he available for £15M
 

Stoichkov

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If he comes he will become a lynchpin. He’s not slow but dominates the middle like Holjberg for Spurs. No he’s nothing like Neves but he’s purposely being targeted so we can have faster breaking midfielders like Rafa Silva, Pedrinho or MGW

Hope it’s happening. Remember him making phenomenal tackle on Adama for Braga at Molineux, and for his cameos for Portugal during Euros. A proper tank.
 

JonahWolf

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Meh.
If we switch to 4-2-4 then he is probably what we need in front of our defence. If we are sticking with formation i don't see what he brings over donk. But we need more numbers there.
What he brings over Donk is not being scared of the ball, and some actual aggression in ball-winning.
Sometimes Donk looks like a proper defensive midfielder, others he chases them around and rather apologetically asks for the ball back.
 
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