Fulham have slapped a remarkable £90million valuation on Joao Palhinha in a bid to dissuade potential suitors including West Ham from signing their defensive midfielder this summer.
Senior sources at Fulham say they are using the £100m asking price for Declan Rice as a benchmark. West Ham are one of the clubs interested in Palhinha as a replacement for Rice.
Palhinha is 27 years old while Rice is only 24 – and not considered to be at the same level in quality – but Fulham feel in a strong position with their player tied down until 2027.