FC Bayern continues to work on a sale of João Palhinha. But the situation is increasingly turning into a test of patience for the Munich club. According to BILD soccer editor Christian Falk, the Portuguese national team player has now put the pressure back on the club’s management.
Palhinha is among the players who no longer have a place in the team under Vincent Kompany. Sporting director Max Eberl recently made it clear publicly that the 31-year-old should leave the club. However, a suitable buyer has yet to materialize.
As Falk reports, FC Bayern is not particularly optimistic at the moment about reaching an agreement with Aston Villa anytime soon. While the English club is still considered one of the most promising candidates, there has been no concrete progress so far.
Particularly problematic from Munich’s perspective: Palhinha does not seem willing to make the move at any cost. According to Falk, the Portuguese player has shifted the pressure onto FC Bayern. If the record champions continue to insist on a high transfer fee and no club attractive to him can be found, he will fulfill his contract in Munich, which runs through 2028.
This puts FC Bayern in a difficult negotiating position. On the one hand, club officials are eager to remove the midfielder from the payroll; on the other hand, they do not want to sell him for significantly less than his market value.
Aston Villa remains the best hope
Despite the deadlocked situation, Bayern continues to pin its hopes on Aston Villa. Falk considers the Premier League club a good fit for Palhinha and does not rule out the possibility that the English side could still make an offer in the coming weeks.
The midfielder himself seems to be doing everything he can—at least on the field—to prove his worth. Falk recently watched Palhinha in training at Tegernsee and was impressed by his dedication. The Portuguese player performed strongly in the intense training sessions and even pushed himself to his physical limits to demonstrate that he still possesses the caliber required for a top-tier club.
It remains to be seen whether these performances will stir things up in the transfer negotiations. According to the transfer insider, however, things remain quiet for now regarding the former Fulham pro. For FC Bayern, the Palhinha situation is likely to remain one of the most important topics on the outgoing side in the coming weeks.