Roberto De Zerbi eager for 'reliable' Tottenham loan star to complete permanent transfer

De Zerbi has confirmed that he “100 per cent” wants to keep Palhinha at Tottenham next season. The Portuguese midfielder joined Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich last summer with a £26m buy option to buy at the end of this season, and his performances have convinced the Italian manager that Spurs should trigger that clause.

As per The Standard, De Zerbi left no doubt about his admiration for Palhinha, saying on Thursday when asked if he wants him to stay beyond the summer: "100 per cent. We have to start with those types of people. More than players, we need reliable people, reliable players. Palhinha is one of the best, as a player for sure and as a guy. I want to see the player with the same passion, the same attitude, the same spirit, and the same personality, and we are lucky to have him."

The former Fulham midfielder has come in for criticism at times this term but has also popped up with a number of important goals, including the winner away to Wolves, which secured Spurs’ first league win in 118 days. His grit was also on full display during last weekend's 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, where his combative nature helped stabilise the midfield.

The midfield partnership between Conor Gallagher, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Palhinha appears to be the blueprint for De Zerbi’s vision at the club. With Gallagher also adapting well to the physical and mental demands at the club after his January move from Atletico Madrid, the Spurs boss believes the team functions on a different level when his midfield is clicking.

“So I'm happy to watch him in this condition, in this confidence, with these performances. I think, and I said after the game, when Gallagher plays well, his team plays with one player more than the opponent,” De Zerbi added.

Tottenham currently languish in 17th place in the Premier League table, sitting just a single point above the drop zone with only three games remaining. Spurs face a nerve-wracking run-in, hosting Leeds United before daunting final fixtures against Chelsea and Everton to decide their top-flight survival.