Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Palhinha is a 'long-term target' for Wolverhampton Wanderers but he might be out of their 'price range right now,' according to journalist Pete O'Rourke. 

Bruno Lage is reportedly keen to add up to three players to his first-team squad in the January transfer window after spending six months at the helm of the Midlands outfit. 

What is the latest news involving Wolves?

The 45-year-old tactician has already secured the signing of promising winger Chiquinho from Estoril for an initial £3 million before turning Hwang Hee-Chan's loan spell into a permanent stay from RB Leipzig. 

However, Wolves have also been linked with making a move for the highly-rated Palhinha as they look to address their engine room issues. 

According to Portuguese newspaper Record (as relayed by Sport Witness), Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla have joined Lage's charges in the race for the 26-year-old's signature. 

The report states that the interested parties have received a boost in their pursuit of Palhinha as Sporting have dropped their asking price from €40m (£33.3m) to €30m (£25m). 

It also states that the defensive-minded dynamo has ‘one foot out’ of the Lisbon side, indicating that an imminent exit could be on the cards. 

What has O'Rourke said about Palhinha?

Despite Wolves' extensive Portuguese links, O'Rourke believes Palhinha could be out of reach for the Molineux side at the moment time. 

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In an exclusive interview, he told GiveMeSport: “Palhinha has been a long-term target for Wolves, and some of the signs we're getting from Sporting Lisbon is that they would consider selling him before Monday's deadline.

"£25 million has been mentioned, I think that will put him out of Wolves’ price range right now, and I think there are other bigger clubs also looking at the Portuguese international as well.”

Would Palhinha be a good signing for Wolves?

The 6 foot 2 beast has established himself as one of the top midfielders in his homeland since returning to his boyhood club from Braga in July 2020. 

Palhinha made 32 appearances in the league last term as Sporting claimed their first top-flight title since 2002, ending Porto and Benfica's 19-year duopoly of the Primeira Liga crown.

And he's carried that good form over into the current campaign.

As per WhoScored, Palhinha has averaged 3.4 tackles per league game throughout 2021/22, the highest tally amongst his teammates, helping him achieve a season rating of 7.26. 

That is the third-highest total when compared to his colleagues and indicates that Wolves could snap up a top-class talent if they can raise the required funds. 

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