Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed that he “100 per cent” wants to keep Joao Palhinha at Tottenham next season.
Palhinha joined Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich last summer with a €30million (£25.9m) option to buy at the end of this season.
The Portuguese 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.
Palhinha’s emphatic roar midway through the second-half of last weekend’s 2-1 victory away to Aston Villa surmised Spurs’ industrious performance and reflected a combative personal display from the 30-year-old.
De Zerbi is keen to keep Palhinha and says the spirit and attitude the former Fulham midfielder embodies is exactly the type of character he wants to build his team around.
“100 per cent [I want to keep him next season)]” De Zerbi said on Thursday.
“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, but as a guy.
“I want to see the player with the same passion, the same attitude, the same spirit, the same personality, and we are lucky to have with us Palhinha.”
Spurs’ midfield was central to their dominant display at Villa Park, with Conor Gallagher providing energy and crucially a goal threat, while Rodrigo Bentancur and Palhinha gave De Zerbi’s side balance.
De Zerbi is a big fan of Gallagher, who produced the most combined blocks, tackles, interceptions and recoveries against Villa, and said that Spurs play as if they have a 12th man with the Englishman in the side and in form.
Gallagher has not had it easy since arriving in north London from Atletico Madrid in January, and had to wait three months for his first league win.
But De Zerbi has retained his trust in the former Chelsea man and said that he has adapted well physically and mentally to become one of Spurs’ most important players in recent weeks.
“I'm happy because I think from the perspective of Conor, he came in January in a difficult situation. He had some problems at the beginning - his physical condition, his environment,” De Zerbi said.
“To understand the different club, different style of play, different dressing room. But he's an important player, the first level of the players.
“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.”
