Bayern Munich midfielder João Palhinha’s career is in flux. The Portuguese international has spent the season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, but finds himself in a relegation scrap that is heading into the Premier League’s final matchday.
If Spurs are relegated, it would likely be a big hit to all of their transfer planning. But for now, Tottenham and head coach Roberto De Zerbi are said to want to keep the 30-year-old defensive midfielder. The problem? The feeling may not be mutual.
From Portuguese
outlet A Bola, as captured by @iMiaSanMia:
Talks between João Palhinha and Sporting CP over a return to Lisbon are progressing well. The main sticking point is reaching an agreement with FC Bayern on whether it will be a loan deal with an option to buy or a permanent deal. Tottenham have a €30m option to buy, and manager Roberto De Zerbi would like to keep Palhinha, but the player’s preference is a return to Portugal [@abolapt]
From Bayern’s perspective, this is a loan that has not gone to plan. Palhinha clearly does not have a place in Munich and does not appear to be a fit in Vincent Kompany’s tactical setup. However, a second season on loan would mean another delay in recouping the transfer fee that brought him to Bavaria in the first place — and another chance that the loan does not turn into a permanent move.
Bayern could use whatever fee they can get for Palhinha right away to re-invest this summer. It just does not look like the interest is hot. Palhinha is still under contract at Bayern until 2027/28.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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