Bayern Munich and Sporting deal for João Palhinha... falls through | OneFootball

Sporting have reportedly pulled out of the race to sign João Palhinha and are now focusing on Sergi Altimira to strengthen the midfield. The Lions’ board considered the fee demanded by Bayern Munich to release the Portugal international in this summer transfer window to be too high.

According to 'Correio da Manhã', the German club remained inflexible in negotiations, refusing to lower their €25 million asking price. Faced with this scenario, he is expected to remain linked to Tottenham, the team he played for on loan last season and whose coach, Roberto De Zerbi, was reportedly decisive in keeping the midfielder.

At Alvalade, João Palhinha was seen as an ideal solution to cover a possible departure of Morten Hjulmand. The Lions’ captain continues to be tipped for a move during this transfer window, with Atlético Madrid emerging among the main interested clubs.

With no room to move for the Portugal international, Sporting turned their attention to Sergi Altimira. The Betis midfielder is currently the green-and-whites’ priority, with negotiations ongoing for a deal worth around €18 million, plus €3 million in add-ons. Despite competition from clubs such as Leipzig and Milan, the Lions remain confident of getting the deal done.

This season, wearing the Tottenham shirt, João Palhinha - valued at €15 million - made 45 appearances: 33 in the Premier League, eight in the Champions League, two in the EFL Cup, one in the FA Cup and another in the UEFA Super Cup. In 2,917 minutes on the pitch, the defensive midfielder scored seven goals and provided two assists. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.