FC Bayern is determined to sell João Palhinha this summer. However, efforts to secure the Portuguese player’s departure are increasingly stalling. According to the latest reports, the record champions are now much more skeptical about the chances of a move to Aston Villa—and the midfielder himself is now stepping up the pressure on the Munich club.
Palhinha is among the players who no longer feature in Vincent Kompany’s sporting plans. Along with Sacha Boey, Bryan Zaragoza, and Armindo Sieb, the 31-year-old is not even included in FC Bayern’s official professional roster for the 2026–27 season.
According to information from BILD, club officials continue to view Aston Villa as a potential buyer. However, there has been no real concrete progress so far. “Bayern isn’t particularly confident at the moment that a deal with Aston Villa will materialize,” emphasizes BILD’s head of soccer, Christian Falk.
The transfer fee remains a major sticking point. FC Bayern would like to recoup as much of their investment as possible, given that the Portuguese player was originally signed from Fulham for around 50 million euros. It is precisely this asking price that is complicating the negotiations.
Palhinha remains calm
According to Falk, Palhinha has now made his position clear. If no suitable club can be found and Bayern Munich continues to insist on a high transfer fee, the national team player is prepared to fulfill his contract in Munich.
For Bayern, this would also be a difficult situation financially. According to information from BILD, Palhinha’s base salary is around 8.5 million euros annually. With bonus payments, his income could even rise to about ten million euros.
Despite his uncertain future, the midfielder continues to show great commitment in training, according to Falk. “I saw him in training. He was really strong, gave it his all, and wanted to show everyone that he’s good enough for Bayern and, of course, for a big club like Aston Villa,” the journalist reported.
It remains to be seen whether there will be any developments in the transfer saga in the coming weeks. One thing is clear, however: If Aston Villa does not make an offer and Bayern does not adjust its transfer fee demands, Palhinha could keep the record champions occupied well beyond the summer.