Fulham will demand an astonishing £90 million for midfield general Joao Palhinha, who is attracting interest from West Ham United, according to the Daily Mail.
Palhinha only joined the Cottagers last summer, but his exceptional performances for Marco Silva’s side have caught the attention of several clubs, including West Ham.
However, their valuation indicates Fjulham are in no mood to entertain offers for their assertive 27-year-old midfielder.
Manchester United and Liverpool are also keeping tabs on Palhinha, who scored three times in 35 Premier League games to help Fulham achieve a top-half finish last season.
Palhinha signed a long-term contract with Fulham when he joined last summer, so the club are in a strong negotiating position with four years left to run on his deal.
While the Cottagers have no interest in doing business, interested parties could reportedly test their resolve with bids around £50m, which is considered the player’s true value.
Fulham are using West Ham’s valuation of Declan Rice as a benchmark, with the Hammers demanding at least £100m for the England international.
West Ham are one of the clubs interested in Palhinha, who they see as a potential replacement for Rice, so Fulham’s demands could be a case of the Hammers being given a taste of their own medicine.
Rice is expected to leave the Hammers this summer, but the club have already rejected two bids for their captain which fall short of their asking price.
West Ham could test Fulham’s resolve if Rice leaves despite their defiant stance. But if bids fail, they could turn to other targets, including Ajax’s Edson Alvarez.
The Mexico international is an option, but they would face competition from Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
