As expected, João Palhinha’s time at Bayern Munich has officially come to an end, with the 31-year-old midfielder completing his transfer to Benfica per a release on FCBayern.com.
The move brings Palhinha back to Portugal and to his home city of Lisbon, where he began his professional career with Sporting CP. After spending the past several years playing abroad, the Portugal international will now continue his career in his home country.
Bayern Munich board member for sport Max Eberl explained that
the club and Palhinha worked together to find a solution that suited everyone involved.
“We’ve discussed João Palhinha’s situation openly with him and found a solution that we could all agree on. He’s decided to continue his career in his home country. We thank him for his time at FC Bayern and wish him all the best for the future,” said Eberl.
Palhinha joined Bayern Munich from Fulham in the summer of 2024 after establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s standout defensive midfielders. However, Palhinha struggled to establish himself as a consistent starter and spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur. Now, his Bayern Munich chapter is officially closed.
The transfer represents a relatively short stay in Munich for Palhinha, but he leaves having added a Bundesliga title to his resume. Returning to Lisbon gives him an opportunity to play a more prominent role while finishing his career closer to home.
Earlier in the process, Palhinha was linked to both Aston Villa and Newcastle United.
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- New, improved notifications system!
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
