Aston Villa 'reopen talks' for João Palhinha, Benfica plans at risk | OneFootball

Aston Villa have reignited their pursuit of João Palhinha, a move that could complicate Benfica’s attempt to bring the midfielder back to Lisbon.

According to The Athletic, Villa have reopened talks with Bayern Munich and are targeting a loan with an option to buy.

The renewed push follows Palhinha turning down Newcastle for family reasons. The 31-year-old is prioritising a destination that allows easier travel to Portugal, so Newcastle’s proposal did not progress.

Benfica remain in the frame, with a verbal understanding on personal terms and ongoing work to seal his return to the club. The financial strength of English clubs still represents a major hurdle.

Bayern want to recoup a significant portion of their outlay and are seeking between 25 and 30 million euros to let him go. Benfica have tried to bridge the gap with a high salary and a sizeable signing-on bonus.

Villa’s re-entry could prolong the saga. Palhinha’s future now hinges on whether an agreement can be struck with Bayern and on the player’s appetite to complete a move back to Portugal.

Source: Glorioso 1904

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”