Bayern ‘hope’ Aston Villa will make offer for midfielder | OneFootball

Bayern Munich are hopeful that Aston Villa will make an approach for midfielder Joao Palhinha during the summer transfer window.

Palhinha has returned to Bayern after Tottenham Hotspur decided not to sign him permanently, despite him being one of their most consistent performers during his loan spell.

The Portuguese midfielder has been linked with a move to Villa, but interest appears to have cooled in recent weeks.

Joao Palhinha: No future at Bayern?

Palhinha, Sacha Boey, Bryan Zaragoza and Armindo Sieb are not included in the 2026-27 first-team squad on Bayern’s official website, despite all four still being under contract.

This is a clear indication that the midfielder is not part of Vincent Kompany’s plans.

Kompany said on players who might leave: “I think it’s a positive thing that the club is communicating clearly with the players. As a former player myself, I would have wanted that. The club has made a clear statement, so we’re on the same page.

“But most importantly, we treat them with respect. We’ll continue working with them as normal. When you make decisions, you have to communicate them clearly. Until the transfer window closes, there’s a clear position – and after that, we’ll have to see what happens, like everywhere else in life. But my job is to coach the team and prepare them for the season as well as possible.”

Joao Palhinha: Will Aston Villa move for Bayern midfielder?

Christian Falk has told CFBayern Insider that Palhinha’s situation is a complicated one.

Bayern paid a significant fee to sign him from Fulham and are hoping to recoup a substantial amount from his sale, but no club has yet come forward with an offer that meets their valuation.

The midfielder, meanwhile, has put the pressure back on Bayern by insisting that he is prepared to stay if the club continue to demand a high transfer fee.

Bayern are still hopeful that Aston Villa will make an offer, although they are not especially confident that a deal will materialise.

Falk said: “Bayern are not particularly confident, at the moment, that a deal will be struck with Aston Villa for João Palhinha. They’ve tried to put pressure on the player, but the Portuguese international has also put the pressure back on the club by insisting that he’s going to stay put if Bayern are determined to attach a high asking price to him and there aren’t any clubs available that he’d like to join. This is hard for Bayern, as they do want to sell him.

“There is still a big hope that Aston Villa will come in with an offer. I think he’d fit in perfectly at this great club. I saw the midfielder in training on Wednesday, and I have to say that he’s doing really well. The players were giving him a hard time but he gave as good as he got! He almost picked up an injury, such was the intensity of his showing. He wanted to show that he’s good enough for Bayern and, of course, good enough for a big club like Villa. I think we should keep an eye on him. But, at the moment, it’s all a bit quiet.”

Vincent Kompany has plenty of options in midfield, and even after Leon Goretzka’s departure, Palhinha does not appear to have a place in the current squad.