Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the loan signing of Portugal international João Palhinha from Bayern Munich for the 2025‑26 campaign, with Spurs covering his full salary and securing a €30 million purchase option at season’s end.
The announcement came via the club’s official channels at 20:00 BST on August 3, with standard work‑permit and international clearance clauses included.
“We are delighted to announce the signing of João Palhinha on loan from FC Bayern, subject to international clearance and work permit,” read the club’s statement.
Palhinha, who turns 30 next month, arrives in North London expected to play a key midfield anchoring role for manager Thomas Frank’s squad as Spurs prepare for a return to Champions League football following their Europa League triumph last season.
It marks the Portugal midfielder’s return to the Premier League just 12 months after his £47 million move from Fulham to Bayern Munich.
He left Fulham having led the league in tackles (152) and duels won (259) during the 2023‑24 season, establishing himself as one of the most formidable defensive presences in England’s top flight.
A towering 1.90 m figure renowned for aggression, positioning, aerial dominance and stamina, Palhinha has been praised by former Fulham teammate Andreas Pereira as a “beast”
“He wins everything in midfield, and that gives us freedom to play. He’s very important for how we want to play – aggressive, pressing, strong”
That combative mentality is precisely what Spurs believe will restore some steel to their midfield, where the balance between attack and defence has often swung too far in favour of creativity at the expense of solidity.
His Bayern tenure never fulfilled expectations.
Despite clinching a Bundesliga title, he made just nine league starts in 24 total appearances across competitions, hampered by recurring minor injuries and a system under Vincent Kompany that rarely featured him in a preferred deep‑lying role.
As Max Eberl, Bayern’s board member for sport, acknowledged: “João Palhinha unfortunately didn’t get the game time he hoped for at FC Bayern last season. We’ve found the best solution for all sides … João can have a whole season at top European level there. We wish him all the best for the year ahead”
Indeed, Bayern initiated the move partly to free space in their midfield and recalibrate their squad after last summer’s high‑profile arrival from Fulham.
In his first interview with Spurs’ media after the move, Palhinha was swift to explain why returning to England felt so right.
“It’s an amazing feeling to return to the Premier League and to return to London as well,” he said.
“I really loved to live here before and I’m so happy to be here again … in my opinion – as I’ve always said – it’s the best league in the world. It’s what me and my family wanted at this moment and I’m really happy for this”
Asked about familiar faces, he singled out fellow Sporting CP academy graduate and ex‑teammate Pedro Porro, adding: “We played at Sporting together, we won the league … I hope to win titles again with him … For me, he’s a top player … I’m really motivated to win titles with him again”
Tottenham have been deliberately building their squad with players proven in the Premier League, and Palhinha now joins the ranks alongside Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai in what has been an active summer window for the club under sporting director Johan Lange.
While Tel, on loan from Bayern, was made permanent last month, Palhinha represents the third deal involving the German powerhouse and Tottenham, reinforcing the trust between the clubs.
Sky Sports’ Peter Smith has already weighed in with analysis, describing Palhinha’s record 152 tackle season as “the standout trait of the Fulham enforcer” and noting that his return would add a welcome edge to the likes of Bentancur, Sarr and Bissouma in Frank’s midfield rotation.
He concluded that “neither Bissouma nor Bentancur are as ruthless at winning the ball back as Palhinha” and that he would likely prove “a daunting one for opposition midfielders”
Despite that, questions remain over whether his signing addresses Spurs’ known lack of creativity and progressive passing in midfield—a concern voiced by commentators who see the club needing a Noel to pick the lock in the final third.
Still, the loan structure gives Spurs flexibility, with the purchase clause activated only at season’s end if Palhinha convinces both on and off the pitch.
The fee is widely reported as approximately £27 million (€30m). Palhinha’s arrival also creates new competition for midfield places at Spurs.
Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma and young Archie Gray will now face a stern test for match minutes; but Frank, who has leaned towards a more structured, pressing style reminiscent of his time at Brentford, sees Palhinha as the ideal linchpin to marshal transitions and shield the back four.
Palhinha is expected to be available for Spurs’ opening matches in the expanded Club World Cup, with a friendly against his parent club Bayern scheduled for August 7 at the Allianz Arena, although clearance is still pending from the FA and UK authorities.
Spurs boss Thomas Frank will hope to have him ready for the UEFA Super Cup clash with Paris Saint‑Germain on August 13, before the Premier League opener at home to Burnley three days later.
There is also a personal storyline: Palhinha becomes just the second Portuguese World Cup‑season veteran rejoining the Premier League after a single year abroad.
His experience in major tournaments—including Euro 2024 and Portugal’s recent UEFA Nations League win—adds further pedigree to a Spurs squad reaching for sustained bottom‑line success on multiple fronts.
For Bayern, the move allows them to recoup some of their initial outlay; the loan fee is believed to be around €5 million (£4.3 m), while the combined structure gives them security in case Palhinha fulfils his old West London promise.