Fulham set demand for Man Utd and Bayern target as 'bid made' as Arsenal discover release clause for striker

The future of Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha remains the subject of intense speculation once again - just 12 months after the Portugal star narrowly missed out on a big money move to Bayern Munich.

The former Braga and Sporting CP midfielder has become an integral part of the Cottagers setup after making a £17m move to Craven Cottage during the summer of 2022. After impressing during his 79 appearances for Fulham, Palhinha is believed to have several high profile suitors that are willing to offer him an opportunity to test his undoubted ability in the Premier League. Just a year after their failed bid to sign the midfielder, Bundesliga giants Bayern are reportedly keen to rekindle their interest in a deal but will face competition from Manchester United as the Red Devils look to boost their options in the middle of their side.

Bayern have been the first to make their move after Sky Sports revealed they had submitted a £30m offer for Palhinha that was rejected by the Cottagers and that is said to have alerted the 13-time Premier League champions to the situation. However, the broadcaster have now claimed Fulham will demand a fee of £60m after becoming resigned to losing their in-demand midfielder.

Arsenal transfer target has £65m release clause

Arsenal are reportedly keen on adding a striker to their squad as they look to move on from the disappointment of missing out on the Premier League title.

Mikel Arteta’s side took their title battle with Manchester City to the final day of the season before Pep Guardiola’s claimed a win over West Ham United that helped secure their place as Champions for the fourth consecutive campaign. With Arsenal now looking to take the next step, Arteta is said to be keen on a move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko after he scored 29 goals and provided 11 assists in 79 appearances in all competitions for the Bundesliga outfit.

However, the Gunners are exploring alternatives to the Slovenia international and are said to retain an interest in former Liverpool frontman Dominic Solanke after he scored 21 goals in 42 games for Bournemouth last season. The Athletic have now reported the Cherries striker has a £65m release clause in his current deal at the Vitality Stadium - but the clause can only be activated by a selected number of clubs. he likes of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have also been linked with a move for the once-capped England international.

Speaking about the player’s future, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola said last month: “I hope he stays with us and plays a lot more games with us. But I don’t know what’s going to happen, not with Dom, nor with the other players.

“I hope they continue with us, especially the ones that have been more involved, have been more important, or they feel more important. But as a manager, I don’t know what’s going to happen.

He added: “Dom is playing very well. He is very happy here. He renewed his contract this season. The only reason you are asking me is because he is scoring a lot of goals and playing very well. Probably there is a chance big teams are seeing the same things we are seeing and they can come. But his situation is really good right now and I feel that he is really happy here.”