Palhinha’s bombshell at Bayern: “We won’t be able to reach an agreement” | OneFootball

Joao Palhinha’s transfer to Aston Villa appears to have fallen through. Max Eberl has flatly rejected the English club’s latest offer.

Joao Palhinha’s future at FC Bayern remains uncertain. Recently, there have been strong indications that the Portuguese player might be leaving, with Aston Villa actively pursuing a deal to sign the midfielder. Now, however, Max Eberl has surprisingly made it clear that an agreement with the Premier League club is not currently in sight.

During the presentation of new signing Ismael Saibari, the sporting director first confirmed that the two clubs had been in contact: “As you’ve read, Aston Villa contacted us about Joao. That’s correct, but we won’t be able to reach an agreement with Aston Villa.”

At the same time, Eberl made it clear that Munich has no intention of backing down from its demands in a potential Palhinha deal: “It simply won’t work because we’re not in a position where we have to do everything others try to force on us.”

When asked whether there was truly no realistic chance of reaching an agreement with Aston Villa, the 52-year-old made his position unmistakably clear: “No chance of an agreement.”

Bayern remains firm on Palhinha

This marks a surprising turn in the negotiations surrounding the 31-year-old. Fundamentally, the signs continue to point toward Palhinha’s departure. The Portuguese player has limited prospects at FC Bayern and is among the players for whom a solution could be found by the end of the transfer window.

Most recently, Aston Villa had emerged as the most serious suitor. *kicker* reported that the Premier League club would prefer to sign Palhinha on loan. However, this exact transfer model does not align with the German record champions’ plans.

Photo: IMAGO

Bayern would prefer to sell Palhinha outright. The midfielder was already on loan to Tottenham Hotspur last season. The London club had an option to buy but ultimately decided against a permanent transfer. From Munich’s perspective, another loan would therefore merely postpone the problem.

A sale would also be important for FC Bayern from a financial standpoint. Palhinha moved from Fulham to Munich in 2024 for around 50 million euros, but was never able to establish himself there on a permanent basis. With a permanent transfer, Bayern could at least secure a transfer fee and, at the same time, save on the Portuguese player’s high salary.

The fact that Eberl is now taking such a clear public stance increases the pressure on Aston Villa. The Munich club is obviously not willing to let the 31-year-old leave under the terms currently being discussed. If the Premier League club does not change its position, FC Bayern will have to look for another solution for Palhinha.