Joao Palhinha Closes In On Bayern Munich Exit As A Premier League Return Awaits

Joao Palhinha has been on the list of players that Bayern Munich are more than willing to facilitate a departure for this summer, with several clubs enquiring and declaring their interest so far in this transfer window, and for a long time it appeared that Portuguese side Benfica were the front runners for the combative midfielder's signature. However, it would now appear another club has stolen a march on any other interested parties and is closing in on sealing the deal.

The club in pole position to sign Palhinha is Premier League side Aston Villa. Aston Villa had been looking for midfield reinforcements this summer and recently secured the signing of highly rated midfielder Johan Manzambi from fellow Bundesliga side Freiburg.

However, following the ACL injury to Amadou Onana while he was away playing for Belgium, Villa have been urgently trying to find a form of cheap short-term cover, with the club being heavily limited by FFP regulations.

Villa had Joao Palhinha on a shortlist as a potential option, as reported by Fabrizio Romano; however, the key stumbling block was whether this would be a permanent transfer or a loan with an option to buy.

So then Joao Palhinha had a decision to make. He had made it clear that he aspired to remain in Europe, but now his choice was a return to Portugal to work for former coach Marco Silva or to remain in the Premier League, a league that, while the former side Spurs severely underwhelmed, he emerged from the season with his reputation relatively intact.

But a deciding factor for Palhinha was the idea of playing in both the Premier League and Champions League and better salary terms than Benfica, both of which may have guided Palhinha's decision-making towards a move to Villa Park.

The German Champions had been pushing for a permanent sale of Joao Palhinha this summer due to him not fitting in with Vincent Kompany's plans this season. It was reported, however, that Bayern were open to another loan with an option to buy as long as the buy option was significant enough for it to be worthwhile for the club.

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Aston Villa, with the knowledge that Bayern were open to another loan move, pushed forward in talks with the German Giants and, according to reports, are on the verge of sealing the deal, with the player himself expected in England tomorrow ahead of a medical with the Birmingham-based club. 

While this isn't exactly what Bayern Munich and their hierarchy would have wanted this summer, as there aims to sell the midfielder was clear, getting Joao Palhinha out on loan into the Premier League is the best of a bad situation. Bayern will be hoping that Palhinha can have a more successful season than his last one in England and either Villa trigger a buy option or another club decides that he is worth signing permanently next summer.

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