Leonino exclusive: João Palhinha's return to Sporting fades away | 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 chance of an agreement between all parties. The midfielder remains tied to Bayern Munich on a contract that is financially unmanageable for the Lions and, on top of that, there are clauses linked to his loan to Tottenham that make the process even more complicated.

The English side want to trigger the €30 million clause at the end of the season. Roberto De Zerbi greatly appreciates the player’s characteristics and has already let the Spurs hierarchy know 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 connection and strong bond with Sporting’s fans, the truth is that, at this stage, there are no ongoing negotiations for a return. The scenario could only gain momentum if there were a drastic change in the financial demands involved, something that, as things stand today, is far from happening.

He 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.

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