Fulham’s Joao Palhinha has enjoyed an incredible debut season in English football that has prompted a wide range of suitors to plot their moves for his signature.

One of the clubs that are part of this hotly-contested race is West Ham.

What’s the latest on Joao Palhinha to West Ham?

According to TEAMtalk, alongside the Hammers, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Aston Villa are also keenly tracking the Portuguese star.

This followed a previous report by the Guardian, which detailed that the Irons view the 27-year-old as a potential replacement for Declan Rice.

Palhinha was only signed by the Cottagers last summer for a modest fee of £20m, and it has been suggested that it could take offers of up to £50m to persuade the West London hierarchy to sanction his departure.

Why would Joao Palhinha be a good signing for West Ham?

The midfielder has been an integral cog of a Fulham side that has emphatically surpassed all expectations this year, coasting to a comfortable mid-table finish, and resisting the threat of relegation throughout the season.

The unassuming transfer of Palhinha from Sporting CP has emerged as an inspired piece of business and the pivot has been in ruthlessly efficient form.

In 35 Premier League appearances, the £50k-per-week machine has averaged a mammoth 4.2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, and 1.7 clearances per match.

Within the top flight, the dominant pivot has recorded the most tackles (142) and has been labelled as “sensational” by former Fulham midfielder Steve Sidwell for his exploits.

His punishing physicality and ability to read the game have earned him a flattering comparison to the imperious Rodri, who has been a pillar of solidity in Manchester City's treble-chasing efforts.

Both players stand at 6 foot 3 and act as formidable protectors for their backline. In a City midfield, flanked by the boundlessly creative influences of Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri possesses a profile like that of no other and has been the unsung hero of Pep Guardiola’s relentless juggernaut.

The Spaniard has started 51 of the club’s 61 games in all competitions this season, registering 1.9 tackles and 1.2 clearances per game.

He was typically elite in City’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester United, combining brilliant athleticism with fantastic ball-spraying impudence. In 90 minutes, he managed 89 touches, three key passes, eight accurate long balls, five tackles, as well as winning six ground duels, as per Sofascore.

Therefore, both players are magnificent protectors for their backlines, whose indomitable spirit and defensive contributions often criminally go under the radar.

Palhinha has recently said that he is happy at Fulham and wants to stay, but his growing reputation will inevitably lead to increased speculation, and looks like a man destined to play at the highest level.