Tottenham Hotspur signed Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich last summer, and a permanent deal is not set in stone.
The Portuguese international has done well for the North London club, but his loan deal is set to expire. Tottenham have an option to make the move permanent for a fee of £26 million in the summer transfer window.
However, the Lilywhites have not yet triggered the option, though Roberto De Zerbi has publicly admitted his desire to keep him at the club. Tottenham endured a frustrating 2025/26 campaign, finishing 17th in the league table. They will not want to be in a similar position next year.
The former Fulham midfielder was an important player for Spurs this term, and retaining his services would be ideal as familiarity will breed large-scale stability. They need more physicality and defensive cover in the middle of the park, and the experienced midfielder could be an important player for them next season as well.
Meanwhile, Palhinha has no future at Bayern Munich and will not want to return to the Allianz Arena. It would be ideal for him to continue at Tottenham. The player will look to sort out his future quickly so that he can focus on his football. It will be interesting to see what Tottenham decide. According to Sky Sports, manager Roberto De Zerbi has held talks regarding a potential move.
Spurs must keep Palhinha
The North Londoners will look to fight for trophies and return to the UEFA Champions League. They need quality players for that to happen, and recent reports have linked them with Marcos Senesi and Andrew Robertson. In addition to signing game-changers, they need to keep their important performers from this past season.
Palhinha was one of the first names on the team sheet under Roberto De Zerbi, and the asking price is quite reasonable for him. So, Tottenham should look to get the deal done. The £26 million-rated midfielder is one of the leaders of the dressing room right now, and not signing him could prove to be a mistake.
There is unlikely to be any shortage of clubs looking to sign the player this summer. He has also been linked with a return to his former club, Sporting CP. However, Tottenham have a quality team, and they have now brought in a quality manager.
They will be expected to bounce back strongly next season. The Portuguese midfielder will certainly want to be a part of their project. Ideally, they should negotiate with Bayern Munich to see if they can lower the asking price. The player is unwanted at the German club, and they will be under pressure to sell.
