Tottenham Hotspur have been given a boost in their pursuit of Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha, with the German club reportedly reducing their asking price to €25million (£21.5m), according to Correio de Manha. This represents a decrease from the previously agreed option to buy of £26million.
Palhinha spent last season on loan at Tottenham, making 33 Premier League appearances and scoring crucial goals against Wolves and Everton that ultimately helped the club avoid relegation. His performances led to Tottenham expressing a strong desire to secure his services permanently, but the initial fee proved a stumbling block.
While Tottenham are keen to re-sign the Portuguese international, they face competition from Sporting CP, Palhinha’s former club. Reports suggest the player has expressed a desire to return to Portugal to be closer to his family, but Sporting are reportedly only willing to pay a fee lower than Bayern’s new asking price. This could potentially clear the path for Tottenham to complete a deal if they are willing to match the €25million valuation.
TEAMtalk reports that Tottenham are confident of bringing Palhinha back to the club, with sources indicating they have been hoping to finalize a deal since late May. The club has already secured the signings of defenders Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson, and Pedro Porro has reportedly agreed to a new contract as Roberto De Zerbi begins to reshape the squad.
The reduced fee from Bayern Munich significantly improves Tottenham’s chances of securing Palhinha’s permanent transfer, strengthening their midfield options ahead of the new Premier League season. A successful return for the midfielder would provide stability and experience to De Zerbi’s team.
