Leonino exclusive, João Palhinha return to Sporting fades | OneFootball

João Palhinha’s return to Sporting is, at this point, a virtually impossible scenario, despite the various reports that have emerged in recent weeks pointing to a possible move to Alvalade, Leonino has learned.

According to what our newspaper has found out, the figures involved in the Portuguese international’s situation rule out, for now, any real possibility of an agreement between all parties. The midfielder remains tied to Bayern Munich on a contract that is financially unmanageable for the Lions and, in addition, there are clauses linked to his loan to Tottenham that complicate the process even further.

The English side want to trigger the €30 million clause at the end of the season. Roberto De Zerbi is a big admirer of the player’s qualities and has already made it known to the Spurs hierarchy that he sees the Portuguese as an important piece for 2026/27. Even if a permanent move does not go ahead, Bayern Munich intend to recoup a significant part of the investment made in the player (around €51m).

Despite the emotional bond and strong connection with Sporting supporters, the truth is that, at this stage, there are no ongoing negotiations for a return. The scenario could only gain traction if there were a drastic change in the financial demands involved, something that, as things stand today, is far from happening.

João Palhinha joined Bayern in the summer of 2024 from Fulham, where he spent two seasons after leaving Sporting in 2022. The midfielder started only ten matches (out of a total of 25), before being loaned to Tottenham. In 2025/26, he has six goals and two assists in 43 appearances.

Check out some of João Palhinha’s tackles:

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