He was considered a clear candidate for a sale, and now Joao Palhinha’s departure is official: Bayern is letting the Portuguese player go for good—and will receive a hefty sum in the millions from Benfica Lisbon in return.
FC Bayern is closing the chapter on Joao Palhinha and letting the Portuguese player go after two years, only one of which he spent in Munich. The defensive midfielder is leaving the German record champions and transferring to Benfica Lisbon effective immediately. The potential Europa League participant is paying nearly 20 million euros for the player with 37 caps, with 14 million paid immediately and an additional five million euros possible through performance-based bonuses. At Benfica, he has signed a contract through June 30, 2030, which includes a release clause of 50 million euros.
“We discussed Joao Palhinha’s situation at FC Bayern openly and then found a solution that we could all agree on,” explains Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl. “He has decided to continue his career in his home country. We thank him for his time at FC Bayern and wish him all the best for the future.”
Bayern once paid 50 million euros
Just under three years ago, then-Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel aggressively courted Joao Palhinha—and expressed “great sadness” after the transfer fell through. He subsequently described the Munich squad as “courageous.” A year later, the lanky defensive midfielder did end up moving from Fulham to FCB for nearly 50 million euros, though Tuchel had already been forced to step down by that point.
Under his successor, Vincent Kompany, Joao Palhinha did not play a major role, making only 17 Bundesliga appearances and five in the Champions League—and in the summer of 2025, he sought a return to the Premier League. Tottenham covered his full salary to sign Joao Palhinha for one year.
Staying with the Spurs falls through—Aston Villa courts him in vain
The Spurs and the player both toyed with the idea of him staying, but a permanent transfer ultimately fell through. In England, however, Joao Palhinha remained a hot topic; several clubs are said to have vied for his services. Among them was Aston Villa, which this summer had earned a staggering 137 million euros from the transfer of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea FC alone.
In the end, however, a return to the Premier League didn’t materialize. Instead, Joao Palhinha is heading back to his native Portugal. There’s an interesting twist to this: The 31-year-old first made his breakthrough at Sporting, from where he moved to Fulham in 2022. Now, of all places, he’s signing with their big city rival.
Joao Palhinha could make his debut for the red side of the Portuguese capital as early as next week. On August 27, Benfica will travel to Aarhus GF for the second leg of the final Europa League qualifying round. In the domestic league, the Eagles will face GD Estoril Praia a few days later.