Joao Palhinha looks back on his time at FC Bayern with mixed feelings – and hints at where he sees his sporting future. The Portuguese international clearly feels more comfortable in the Premier League and can well imagine staying at Tottenham Hotspur in the long term
In an interview with the BBC, Palhinha spoke openly about his journey over the past few months. The midfielder moved from Fulham to FC Bayern in the summer of 2024 for around €49.5 million, but returned to England on loan just one year later. „When I moved to Bayern, I honestly didn’t expect to return so quickly,“ explained the 29-year-old in retrospect
Nevertheless, the decision to join Tottenham was an easy one for him. „When the opportunity came up at Tottenham, I didn’t think twice because this league … it’s really special for me. I think my style of play really suits this league,“ said Palhinha
He added: „You can’t compare the Premier League to any other league. You always miss the Premier League when you’re away. There’s just something really special about it. The whole world watches the Premier League and the teams are probably some of the most competitive in the world.“
Difficult time at Bayern after injury
Palhinha was much more critical of his time in Munich, describing it as the most difficult period of his career so far. „Probably the time I’ve had at Bayern. I expected to play more when I moved there, but after the injury it wasn’t easy for me to get the right chances,“ said the defensive midfielder
After ten Bundesliga appearances, Palhinha suffered a torn muscle bundle and was out for several weeks. He subsequently found it difficult to regain his footing. He hardly played a role under Vincent Kompany, which is why the club and player parted ways after just one year
It remains to be seen whether Palhinha will remain at Tottenham beyond the summer. Spurs are said to have secured a purchase option of around €30 million in the loan agreement, although a final decision has yet to be made
Regardless of his club situation, Palhinha has one major sporting goal clearly in mind: „To win the World Cup with Portugal. I believe we have the potential to achieve this goal,“ said the international confidently.