Aston Villa have become the newest side to be linked with Joao Palhinha, after Tottenham stepped away from a move for the Portuguese midfielder following a major reshuffle in midfield this summer.
Spurs have already strengthened Roberto De Zerbi’s engine room with the big-money signings of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, a combined £185 million outlay that made the pair the club’s record and second-highest signings. That spending effectively closed the door on any permanent Palhinha deal, despite him impressing during his loan spell in North London last season.
Back at Bayern Munich, Palhinha’s next move is now up in the air, with a number of clubs tracking the situation ahead of the new season.
Record reports that the Portugal international has plenty of suitors across Europe, with Benfica among those keen to land him, and that Bayern would be willing to let him go for around €25 million (£21.6 million).
Benfica are said to be ready to meet that figure, though they’d prefer a loan-with-obligation-to-buy structure rather than a straight sale — and they’re expected to face competition for his signature. Sporting CP, who had also been in the running for Palhinha earlier in the window, could still be a factor even though they weren’t named in the most recent reports.
Villa, meanwhile, have now joined Juventus in pursuit of the midfielder. Unai Emery is looking to rebuild his midfield following Youri Tielemans’ surprise switch to Manchester United, with Amadou Onana’s World Cup ACL injury adding to the squad’s problems. Douglas Luiz’s return to Juventus at the end of his loan has left another gap for Villa to fill.
Should Villa follow through, Palhinha could find himself back in the Premier League within months of leaving Tottenham.
