Tottenham Hotspur have successfully wrapped up their fourth summer acquisition, securing the services of Joao Palhinha on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich. The former Fulham midfielder arrives at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following previous deals for Mathys Tel, also from Bayern, along with Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus.
The 30-year-old Palhinha joins Spurs with an option to make the move permanent at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season. Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has been actively seeking reinforcements for the defensive midfield role in his overhauled squad, and Palhinha appears to tick all the right boxes.
Palhinha began his professional journey with Sporting CP, experiencing several loan spells across Portugal before making the transition to the Premier League in 2022 with Fulham. During his two seasons in west London, he made 68 appearances and led the league in tackles a testament to his tenacity and defensive acumen. These impressive displays earned him a £47.4 million transfer to Bayern Munich in 2024, although his tenure in Germany was marred by injuries, limiting his appearances for the Bundesliga champions to just 25.
Palhinha is now the second Bayern player to join Spurs on loan, following the arrival of Mathys Tel in January, a move that has since been made permanent. The Portuguese midfielder’s transfer is still subject to international clearance and a work permit. Should these formalities be resolved promptly, Palhinha could find himself facing his parent club in Tottenham’s upcoming pre-season encounter in Munich on Thursday. This fixture is part of a pre-existing agreement, following the £100 million transfer of Harry Kane from Spurs to Bayern in 2023.
Palhinha’s squad number for the forthcoming season is yet to be announced.
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