Benfica is putting pressure on Bayer regarding their flop Palhinha—but one problem remains | OneFootball

FC Bayern wants to sell João Palhinha permanently this summer. Now that a move to stay at Tottenham has fallen through, Benfica Lisbon is considered the most likely destination. However, one key issue still stands in the way of a transfer.

João Palhinha’s future remains one of the major transfer topics at FC Bayern. The Portuguese midfielder is among the record champions’ candidates for sale after failing to meet expectations since his move to Munich.

Officials at Säbener Straße are hoping for a prompt solution—in part to generate additional revenue for the summer transfer window.

Now that Tottenham Hotspur has backed away from a permanent signing and Sporting Lisbon also appears to be out of the running due to financial constraints, Benfica is increasingly coming into focus.

Benfica is in talks with Palhinha

According to information from BILD, Benfica is actively pursuing a deal for the 31-year-old.Reports indicate that talks with the player are already underway. Although an agreement has not yet been reached, the Portuguese record champions are currently considered the frontrunners for a transfer.

Juventus and AC Milan are also continuing to monitor the situation, though no concrete negotiations are reported to have taken place there yet.

There is cause for optimism for FC Bayern. Benfica is reportedly willing to put together a total package of up to 25 million euros for Palhinha. According to the latest reports, this would be a figure at which the Munich club would be open to talks.

In addition to the transfer fee, another factor plays a particularly important role for the record champions: a sale would also remove Palhinha’s hefty salary entirely from the payroll.

Especially with an eye toward future transfer plans, that would provide significant financial leeway.

The salary remains the sticking point

Photo: IMAGO

Whether the transfer actually goes through, however, does not depend solely on the negotiations between the clubs.

The biggest stumbling block could be reaching an agreement between Benfica and the player. Although it was recently reported that Palhinha would, in principle, be willing to take a pay cut to return to Portugal,

However, it remains unclear exactly how significant these concessions would need to be in the event of a move to Benfica.

This very point could prove decisive. Depending on how the salary issue is resolved, the structure of the transfer or the terms of the transfer fee could still change.

No decision has been made yet

From FC Bayern’s perspective, a sale would be the preferred solution. Palhinha no longer plays a key role in Vincent Kompany’s plans, and his departure could free up funds for further signings.

Nevertheless, patience is required. Talks are still in the early stages, and an overall agreement is not yet in sight. While Benfica is working intensively to sign the Portuguese international, several outstanding issues still need to be resolved before a deal can be successfully concluded.