Benfica isn’t giving up on Palhinha – Bayern is waiting for a concrete offer | OneFootball

FC Bayern continues to work on transferring João Palhinha this summer. While talks with several interested clubs have been difficult so far, there is now new hope coming from Portugal. According to media reports, Benfica Lisbon is pressing ahead with a move for the midfielder.

Palhinha is among the players who no longer fit into Vincent Kompany’s plans. Sporting director Max Eberl has recently emphasized on several occasions that the Portuguese player should leave the club. Accordingly, the Munich-based club continues to search for a suitable buyer.

Benfica remains interested in Palhinha

As reported by the Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Benfica Lisbon continues to work on signing the 31-year-old. According to the report, the Portuguese record champions are said to be sticking to their plans for a transfer despite the difficult circumstances.

Marco Silva could be a key factor in this. The Fulham coach, under whom Palhinha enjoyed his best spell in England, is said to still have a very good relationship with the midfielder and to support his return to Portugal.

According to information from A Bola, Bayern Munich is now demanding a transfer fee of around 20 million euros. The biggest obstacle, however, is reportedly Palhinha’s salary. In order to move to Benfica, the Portuguese international would apparently have to accept a significant pay cut.

Bayern is pushing for a solution

Photo: IMAGO

According to the report, Palhinha has signaled to both Benfica and Sporting Lisbon that he is, in principle, open to a return to his home country. Sporting was long considered a potential suitor but withdrew from the transfer negotiations a few weeks ago.

Most recently, Palhinha himself had stated that he hadn’t given up on FC Bayern. However, the club’s leadership, led by Max Eberl, has made it unmistakably clear—both internally and publicly—that the midfielder no longer has a future with the team.

In addition to Benfica, Aston Villa continues to be mentioned as a potential suitor. A financially strong Premier League club, in particular, could more easily meet Munich’s demands. It remains to be seen whether Benfica will ultimately be able to put together a package that satisfies both FC Bayern and the player.