Tottenham Hotspur are gearing up to make a move for Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha, with the North London club eager to bring him back to the Premier League.
The 30-year-old, who shone at Fulham before his 2024 switch to Bayern, has struggled for regular game time in Germany, prompting speculation about his future.
Reports from Bild indicate that Spurs have identified Palhinha as the perfect fit to anchor their midfield under new manager Thomas Frank.
The former Brentford boss, who took over at Tottenham earlier this year, is keen to add physicality and experience to his squad as they prepare for a demanding 2025-26 season, including Champions League football. “Palhinha’s a fantastic player,” former Tottenham star Harry Kane said last year, praising the midfielder’s combative style and Premier League pedigree.
Bayern, who paid 51 million euros to sign Palhinha from Fulham, are now willing to let him go for a reduced fee of 25-30 million euros, according to Sport Bild’s Tobi Altschaffl.
The German giants’ openness to a sale follows Palhinha’s limited role under Vincent Kompany, with the midfielder making just 25 appearances last season, totaling under 1,000 minutes. Injuries and fierce competition from players like Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka restricted his impact, despite Bayern’s Bundesliga title win.
Tottenham’s interest comes as they look to address a lack of midfield balance that plagued them last season, with Yves Bissouma facing an uncertain future amid links to Juventus.
A recent post on X from @GraemeBailey on July, confirmed Spurs are “working on a potential bid” for Palhinha, noting that Frank sees him as an ideal fit for his tactical setup. However, Spurs face competition from West Ham United and Palhinha’s former club Fulham, both of whom have expressed interest, per TBR Football.
Palhinha himself has remained diplomatic about his future. “I have a contract with Bayern for another three years,” he told Sport TV. “I’m motivated to prove my worth at a huge club like Bayern, but we’ll see what happens.”
Despite his commitment, a return to London, where he thrived at Fulham, could be tempting, especially with Spurs offering regular minutes and European football.
The potential transfer marks a significant step in Tottenham’s squad rebuild as they aim to climb the Premier League table after a disappointing 17th-place finish last season.
Palhinha’s proven track record as a tough-tackling, defensively astute midfielder could provide the steel Spurs need to compete on multiple fronts.
