Abdulhafiz TeslimNewcastle United could now offer Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha a route back into the Premier League after his loan spell with Tottenham Hotspur last season.
Palhinha spent the 2025/26 campaign with Spurs, but they opted not to make his temporary spell permanent at the end of the season. He therefore returned to Bayern Munich, where he is out of favour and has little hope of becoming a regular first-team fixture.
The 2024 summer signing from Fulham has made just 17 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern, and another move away from the club now appears increasingly likely.
Palhinha was due to join Aston Villa, but that transfer has collapsed.
Bayern sporting director Max Eberl confirmed Villa had made contact regarding the midfielder.
“You’ve read that Aston Villa contacted us regarding Joao,” Eberl said.
“That is true, but we won’t reach an agreement with Aston Villa. It simply won’t work. We aren’t in a position where we have to do everything others try to impose on us.”
It is now being reported by Spanish newspaper Marca that Newcastle have entered the race, with the Magpies reportedly offering the 31-year-old a three-year contract.
Palhinha was superb for Fulham during his two years at Craven Cottage, earning a £47 million move to Bayern after establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s strongest defensive midfielders.
He won the Bundesliga in his first campaign in Germany but subsequently struggled with injuries and fierce competition from Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich and emerging midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic.
For Newcastle, the question will be whether they are prepared to offer a three-year deal to a player who turned 31 last month. However, there is little doubt that new manager Matthias Jaissle needs additional experience in his midfield.
Newcastle have seen Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes depart for Tottenham and Arsenal respectively, while Joelinton has also expressed a desire to leave the club.
The Magpies have brought in young midfielders Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba, but at 18 and 20 years old respectively, both players could benefit from having an experienced midfielder alongside them.
Palhinha would bring considerable experience, having played extensively in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Champions League and Portuguese top flight.
He could also be available for a relatively low fee given his situation at Bayern, despite having two years remaining on his contract at the Allianz Arena.
Jaissle recently acknowledged the need for further additions to his squad and called for progress in Newcastle’s transfer business.
“You all see the matches, you’re smart enough to see the needs in the squad,” Jaissle said earlier this week, before adding that he hoped there would be “progress” on transfers.
Abdulhafiz Teslim
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