Bayern Munich had a good summer transfer window when it comes to trimming the wage bill. They parted ways with Thomas Müller and Leroy Sane, albeit the latter was offered a new deal. Kingsley Coman also completed a permanent move to Al-Nassr. Bayern saved a lot on wages by these departures in the attack.
Meanwhile, wages were also saved in the midfield department. Joao Palhinha left Die Roten to join Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan. The Portuguese midfielder’s wages are completely covered by the Premier League club. Spurs also have an option to sign Palhinha on a permanent deal for €30 million.
According to Ben Jacobs, Palhinha has no plans to return to Munich next season. The Portuguese international is hoping to stay at Spurs. The former Fulham midfielder had pushed for an option to buy in the deal as a contingency to eventually seal a permanent move to the Premier League.
Palhinha has enjoyed a good start to the season at Spurs under Thomas Frank. He will end up getting adequate game time this season, which is crucial for him to book a place in Portugal’s squad for the World Cup.
The Portuguese midfielder arrived in Munich in 2024 after waiting for 12 months to complete the transfer. He had the deal agreed in 2023, but the move fell through in the final hours of the transfer window. Bayern parted ways with Thomas Tuchel, who wanted to sign Palhinha. However, the Portuguese midfielder remained a top target for them in 2024. They ended up signing him for more than €50 million.
Palhinha failed to impress in debut season at Bayern
Palhinha was expected to give Bayern solidity in the middle of the park, which they have lacked in the big Champions League games. However, the Portuguese international never managed to get consistent game time under Kompany. Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich, and Aleksandar Pavlovic were ahead of him in the pecking order for a place in the center of the park.
Despite enduring a difficult debut season, Palhinha was keen on making it work at Bayern. He was keen on fighting for a place in the team. However, the arrival of Tom Bischof from Hoffenheim made it difficult for Palhinha to get game time under Kompany for the second consecutive season.
Bayern have made a big loss on Palhinha, but they will hope to see Spurs activate the option to buy since a fresh start is the best outcome for all parties.