Who should replace João Palhinha?
CM/CDMTottenham Hotspur · 2025/26 · ranked by tactical + market fitJoão Palhinha's profile ↗
If a club needs to replace João Palhinha, the best-fitting central midfielders are Samú Costa, Carlos Benavídez, Kervin Arriaga. Samú Costa (Mallorca) matches the role at 93/100 on tactical profile (78/100 overall). A cheaper option: Giulio Maggiore at about €500k. Data as of July 2026.
Best replacements for João Palhinha
| # | Player | Club | Age | Value | Tactical | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samú Costasimilar↗ | Mallorca | 25 | €15m | 93 | 78 |
| 2 | Carlos Benavídezsimilar↗ | Deportivo Alavés | 25 | €1.0m | 92 | 74 |
| 3 | Kervin Arriagasimilar↗ | Levante UD | 27 | €2.1m | 91 | 73 |
| 4 | Andrey Santossimilar↗ | RC Strasbourg | 20 | €39m | 91 | 79 |
| 5 | Christian Nørgaardsimilar↗ | Brentford | 30 | €4.8m | 89 | 77 |
| 6 | Yangel Herrerasimilar↗ | Girona FC | 26 | €5.6m | 89 | 77 |
| 7 | Giulio Maggioresimilar↗ | Salernitana | 25 | €500k | 89 | 77 |
| 8 | Augusto Douglassimilar↗ | Nantes | 27 | €6.8m | 89 | 75 |
| 9 | Chema Andréssimilar↗ | VfB Stuttgart | 20 | €19m | 89 | 73 |
| 10 | Tommaso Pobegasimilar↗ | Bologna | 26 | €8.2m | 89 | 72 |
| 11 | Philipp Sandersimilar↗ | Borussia M'gladbach | 27 | €4.2m | 89 | 75 |
| 12 | Pape Gueyesimilar↗ | Villarreal | 25 | €39m | 88 | 76 |
* estimated market value · scores 0–100, league-strength adjusted · data: Sofascore, last 3 seasons
Why these players match João Palhinha
≈ 100% João Palhinha · strong: Aerial duels won, Clearances · low reliability
Strengths: Aerial duels won /90, Clearances /90, Aerial duels won %
≈ 100% João Palhinha · strong: Tackles + interceptions, Finishing (npG − npxG · medium reliability
Strengths: Tackles + interceptions /90, Finishing (npG − npxG /90), Duels won /90
≈ 100% João Palhinha · strong: Clearances, Aerial duels won · medium reliability
Strengths: Clearances /90, Aerial duels won /90, Finishing (npG − npxG /90)
FAQ
Who is the best replacement for João Palhinha?
By Doppel's tactical-fit score, Samú Costa (Mallorca) does the closest job to João Palhinha, at 93/100 on profile. Carlos Benavídez and Kervin Arriaga follow.
Is there a cheaper player who can replace João Palhinha?
Yes — Giulio Maggiore (Salernitana) plays a similar central midfielder role at roughly €500k, a 77/100 match.
How does Doppel find replacements for João Palhinha?
Doppel learns João Palhinha's role profile from his 2025/26 season and ranks central midfielders across the big-5 leagues and more by how closely they do the same job, adjusted for league strength.
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