FC Bayern is confident that the saga surrounding Joao Palhinha will soon be over. The latest reports indicated that the Portuguese player had traveled to Lisbon to undergo a medical exam. However, there are still some hurdles to overcome.
That’s because, although Palhinha is in Portugal, he is apparently not there yet to sign with the club. This is according to a report by BILD. According to the report, details still need to be worked out before the transfer receives final approval.
Bayern and Benfica had agreed in principle on a base transfer fee in the range of 14–15 million euros, with up to five million euros in bonus payments potentially to be added.
FC Bayern: No Palhinha Deal Yet
Benfica had actually been very confident that a deal could be announced shortly. But since talks are still ongoing, the deal could theoretically still fall through. Bayern recently decided not to play Palhinha to avoid putting him at risk of injury ahead of a potential transfer.
It is not known exactly which details are still being discussed. The only thing that is clear is that, should an agreement not be reached soon, Palhinha will likely have to return to Munich. Officially, he says he is in Portugal to see his family—and especially his children—something he hasn’t been able to do for quite some time.
Benfica is determined to sign the player and has already secured an agreement with Palhinha’s camp for a significant reduction in his salary. So there have been concessions on both sides. Now FC Bayern just needs to give the green light; only then can the deal be finalized.
Since his transfer from Fulham to Bayern Munich, Palhinha has never really gotten a chance to shine in Munich. He played in only 17 league games for Bayern and was on loan to Tottenham last season.
