Benfica beware: Another English club eyes Palhinha

Newcastle have added João Palhinha to their summer midfield targets. The Premier League club is looking to bolster their central options with experienced talent following the departures of Bruno Guimarães (to Arsenal) and Sandro Tonali (to Tottenham). According to Sky Sports, the Portuguese international is a strong contender for a potential move.

Aston Villa are also in the running for the player, having held discussions with Bayern as reported this Saturday, though an agreement with the German champions has yet to be reached. 

Both Premier League clubs are now competing with Benfica for the Bayern midfielder, who has been featuring for Vincent Kompany's side during pre-season.

The German club has made no secret of their desire to quickly resolve the Portuguese midfielder's situation, but they have yet to do so. Aston Villa and Benfica are reportedly seeking to sign Palhinha on a loan deal with an option to buy.

Newcastle has had a highly productive summer in terms of player sales, which have already injected €275 million into the club's coffers. This includes the aforementioned exits of Guimarães and Tonali, as well as Anthony Gordon's €80 million move to Barcelona. Furthermore, the club is owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which also holds stakes in clubs like Al Nassr and Al Ahli.