João Palhinha has confirmed his time at Tottenham Hotspur is over, after the club opted against triggering the reported £22 million option to turn his loan from Bayern Munich into a permanent deal.
The Portuguese midfielder spent the 2025/26 season in north London and became a key figure as Spurs fought to stay up, with his disciplined midfield displays — including the winner in a crucial 1-0 victory over Everton — earning him praise from both fans and manager Roberto De Zerbi.
De Zerbi had publicly credited Palhinha as one of the players central to Tottenham’s survival, fuelling hopes the club would follow through on the buy option in his loan deal. Instead, Spurs decided to go another way, prompting Palhinha to say goodbye to the club and its supporters in an emotional Instagram post.
In the message, he thanked Tottenham fans for their constant support throughout the season, calling his time in north London an experience he’ll treasure forever and saying wearing the shirt left a mark on him both on and off the pitch — adding that he always tried to repay that support with his performances.
He also singled out the supporters as the true backbone of any football club, noting that while players, coaches and executives come and go, it’s the fans who keep a club alive year after year. His thanks extended to his teammates, the board, coaching staff, fitness and medical teams, and others who made his stay memorable, before describing London as somewhere that had become a second home to him, closing his farewell with a heartfelt thank-you and a final “COYS.”
Palhinha’s exit closes one chapter, but Tottenham have already moved fast to reshape their midfield. The club has completed an £85 million deal for Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United, with the young Portuguese midfielder signing a six-year contract and taking the No. 18 shirt.
That rebuild looks set to continue with Sandro Tonali’s expected arrival from Newcastle United, with Spurs reportedly agreeing a £100 million fee for the Italian — a deal set to surpass Fernandes’ fee and become the club’s new transfer record.
With Fernandes and Tonali lined up to anchor De Zerbi’s revamped midfield, Tottenham have clearly opted to build for the future rather than keep Palhinha on a permanent basis. His stint in north London may have been short, but the Portuguese midfielder leaves with the respect of supporters, having played a key role in one of the club’s toughest seasons.
