Sporting target who got away expected at Aston Villa this weekend | OneFootball

Benfica are still trying to secure the signing of João Palhinha, but the Portuguese international’s return to domestic football is unlikely to happen. After also being linked with Sporting in this transfer window, the Bayern Munich midfielder now sees Aston Villa emerge as the main contender in the race for his signature.

The Lions had considered bringing Palhinha back to Alvalade, but ended up changing strategy and moved for the signing of Sergi Altimira from Betis. With the Spanish signing already secured, the Alvalade club withdrew from the race, leaving their rival as the main Portuguese club interested in the player.

Aston Villa, managed by , have greater financial muscle and are said to be ready to submit an offer close to the €25 million demanded by Bayern Munich, who do not count on the player.

The 31-year-old is therefore expected in England this weekend to finalise the deal with Aston Villa. The player is now close to finding out where he will play next season, after several weeks of uncertainty.

In 2025/26, João Palhinha made 45 appearances, scored seven goals and provided two assists, figures that boosted his market value. Despite his strong performances, Tottenham chose not to trigger the €30 million purchase clause agreed with Bayern.

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