Sporting want João Palhinha back | OneFootball

Sporting are closely monitoring João Palhinha’s situation as they prepare a major overhaul of the midfield for next season. The Portugal international, who came through the ranks at Alvalade, belongs to Bayern Munich but is currently playing for Tottenham on loan. At 30, he remains highly rated by Sporting’s decision-makers, and a return is starting to gather momentum.

Issa Doumbia is already in talks with the Alvalade club, while Sergi Altimira is also on the list of targets.

Although Bayern are said to be demanding high figures for any potential transfer, a new loan deal could open the door to negotiations. At Alvalade, there is a belief that the player - who recently scored a stunning bicycle kick - would give priority to Sporting if all other factors were equal.

The player also views a return to Portugal positively, both for family reasons and because of the strong bond he still has with the Lions. João Palhinha joined Bayern in the summer of 2024 from Fulham, where he spent two seasons after leaving Sporting in 2022.

The Bavarians paid close to €50 million to the London club but, despite the heavy investment, the midfielder started only ten games (out of a total of 25), before being loaned to Tottenham last summer. In 2025/26, he has six goals and two assists in 42 appearances.

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