FC Bayern continues to work on a sale of João Palhinha. After several transfer options recently stalled, a new suitor from the Premier League has apparently entered the transfer negotiations.
João Palhinha’s future remains one of the major transfer topics at FC Bayern. The Portuguese national team player is expected to leave the record champions on a permanent basis this summer, but so far, no agreement has been reached with a buyer.
Initially, Tottenham Hotspur was considered the most promising candidate. However, the Spurs opted to sign Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, effectively ruling out a Palhinha transfer.
Sporting Lisbon also withdrew from the race due to Munich’s asking price of around 25 million euros. The 31-year-old also turned down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia.
Aston Villa has expressed interest in
According to the Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Aston Villa has now inquired about Palhinha. The Europa League champions are looking to strengthen their central midfield after Youri Tielemans moved to Manchester United and Amadou Onana is sidelined for an extended period due to injury.
According to the report, Aston Villa would initially like to sign the Bayern Munich player on loan and secure an option to buy. In doing so, the club is following a similar model to that of Benfica Lisbon.
Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano also reports that Villa is actively discussing Palhinha internally.
Bayern prefers a permanent sale
Benfica remains in talks with FC Bayern and the player’s camp. However, due to financial constraints, the Portuguese club also favors a loan deal—apparently with a high loan fee of up to ten million euros, as well as a subsequent option to buy or an obligation to buy.
Officials in Munich, on the other hand, continue to prefer an immediate sale to ensure planning certainty and, at the same time, remove Palhinha’s salary from the payroll.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano also confirms Aston Villa’s interest. However, there have not yet been any concrete negotiations between the English club and FC Bayern. Accordingly, the interest is currently still in its early stages.
It therefore remains to be seen which club will ultimately win the race for Palhinha. In addition to Aston Villa, Benfica, Juventus, and AC Milan are still considered potential suitors for the Portuguese midfielder.