Palhinha poker begins: Tottenham look to drive down Bayern fee | OneFootball

The loan deal between FC Bayern and Tottenham Hotspur could soon become a permanent transfer. According to transfer insider Nicolo Schira, the Spurs have officially started talks with the German record champions about a permanent signing of Joao Palhinha.

The Portuguese player initially moved on loan from Munich to London in the summer of 2025. According to Schira, the current focus is on negotiating the purchase option agreed in the contract, which is 30 million euros – Tottenham is apparently hoping for a discount.

Whether FC Bayern will agree to a concession is uncertain. However, it is clear that Palhinha no longer plays a role in Munich's future plans. The officials, including Max Eberl and Christoph Freund, want to economically conclude the matter as soon as possible.

Bayern wants to limit financial damage

Photo: IMAGO

Palhinha was signed in the summer of 2024 for around 50 million euros from FC Fulham – as a desired player by Thomas Tuchel. However, under Vincent Kompany, the 30-year-old was never able to establish himself permanently. His transfer is now considered a misinvestment that Bayern wants to at least partially compensate for.

A permanent move to Tottenham would be a financially sensible solution from Munich's perspective. Already in the summer, FCB received five million euros through the loan fee – ideally, up to 30 million euros could now be added.

Palhinha impresses in the Premier League

In England, the defensive midfielder quickly impressed under coach Thomas Frank. Palhinha is an undisputed regular player at the Spurs, having appeared in eleven Premier League games, scoring two goals and providing one assist.

Frank recently publicly praised his key player: “Joao is a key player for us – he brings stability, aggression, and leadership quality to our game.”

Given his strong performances, it seems to be only a matter of price. For FC Bayern, the sale would be a conciliatory conclusion to a transfer that never worked out as planned sportingly.

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