Arsenal are interested in Fulham’s Joao Palhinha, though it will be a difficult deal to do in the January transfer window, according to a report.

Fabrizio Romano reports that there’s a good chance for Joao Palhinha to leave Fulham in the January transfer window, and Bayern Munich are clear that they’re still interested in him, despite their summer move falling apart.

But Bayern are also unwilling to pay “crazy money” for the midfielder, and there are other clubs now in the race.

Romano claims Arsenal appreciate the player, and though the Gunners would ideally like to sign Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa, they may decide to move onto other targets in the winter window given Villa’s reluctance to sell.

That could increase the chances of a move for Palhinha, but it’s not an easy deal to do either. The Gunners may also prefer to invest in a younger player, given the price they’d have to pay for the Fulham man.

Connor Humm and football insider Team News and Ticks initially broke the news that Palhinha was emerging as a potential target for the Gunners in the transfer market, though they claimed it’s more likely to go through in the summer than in January.

The Telegraph, the Evening Standard, and Football.London then confirmed that multiple English sides were tracking Palhinha, though none of them specifically named Arsenal.

Romano has now done so, but the move still appears to be a long shot at the moment.

Palhinha has performed excellently for Fulham, so the Gunners could be willing to overlook his age (28) and relative inexperience at the top level.

Bayern were willing to pay around £56m for Palhinha in the summer, but it’s unclear whether Fulham would accept the same amount this time around.

Arsenal are probably going to need midfield additions in 2024, and Palhinha certainly appears to be a strong one.