FC Bayern Munich is actively seeking to offload João Palhinha, who has returned from his loan spell. A promising new opportunity for his permanent transfer has now surfaced.

Reports from Portugal indicate that Benfica Lisbon has expressed keen interest in acquiring the 31-year-old midfielder. The highly successful Portuguese club is reportedly preparing a substantial offer of 20 million euros, potentially augmented by an additional five million euros in performance-related bonuses. This proposal aligns perfectly with FC Bayern’s valuation of Palhinha at 25 million euros.

• This potential transfer carries significant weight due to Palhinha’s deep roots with Sporting CP, Benfica’s fierce local rival. He developed through Sporting’s academy and played 95 official matches for them. Interestingly, ahead of a UEFA Champions League clash between Bayern Munich and Benfica in late 2024, Palhinha had publicly described the encounter as a “special match,” revealing to many’s surprise that his family members were “predominantly Benfica supporters.” The midfielder has openly welcomed a move to the red side of Lisbon, which would see him reunite with coach Marco Silva, under whom he previously played at Fulham in the Premier League before his move to Munich.

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• Joao Palhinha joined FC Bayern in 2024 for a substantial 51 million euros.

  While his former club, Sporting CP, reportedly showed interest in a potential return, they were ultimately unable to meet the financial demands. Current rumors suggest that Italian giants Juventus Turin and AC Milan have also entered the race for his signature.

  Despite his significant transfer fee, Palhinha struggled to establish a consistent role at Bayern Munich, making only 25 official appearances, primarily off the bench. Last summer, he was sent on loan to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League for a fee of five million euros. However, after a challenging season where the London club narrowly avoided relegation, they opted not to activate the agreed-upon purchase option.

  Should this move to Benfica materialize, Palhinha would become the fifth player returning from loan to be permanently sold by Bayern this summer. He would follow in the footsteps of Alexander Nübel, who transferred to Besiktas; Daniel Peretz, now with Southampton; Maurice Krattenmacher, joining Elversberg; and Jonah Kusi-Asare, who moved to Fulham.

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By Daniel Mbami — Politics and Security