Why João Palhinha's Aston Villa move is taking longer than expected

João Palhinha is one of those names that we heard about a few weeks ago. While Alejandro Garnacho has dominated the headlines and Villa continue juggling incomings and outgoings elsewhere, the Bayern Munich midfielder remains firmly in the conversation, even if there hasn't been the breakthrough supporters have been hoping for.

Listening to Jacob Tanswell on the latest episode of 1874, I actually came away feeling more positive than I did before because there was no suggestion the deal had collapsed. If anything, it sounds like Villa have simply had bigger priorities over the last couple of weeks.

"I think with Palhinha there's a few things going on," Tanswell explained. "I think Bayern were very happy to let him go, but the fact is Villa are busy, right? They've got so many different things on the go. It's not necessarily like it's off. It's just other things and, as I said yesterday, it's only July. Let's just relax."

That probably reflects the reality of Villa's summer. Every time one deal gathers momentum, another seems to need attention and it's impossible to pursue every transfer with the same intensity at the same time. Garnacho has understandably taken centre stage, there are players to move on and other positions to strengthen, so Palhinha has almost been left ticking away in the background.

One thing Tanswell did make clear, though, is that there are still a few moving parts before anything can happen.

"Palhinha... a lot of it does depend on the player. He's been in England before. Does he want to come back to England? Does he want to go somewhere else? Overseas, family situation as well. So that depends. But yeah, Villa are still in there. Whether they can get it done is a different matter."

It's easy to assume the selling club are the obstacle, but every transfer has several layers to it and, in this case, the player still has a decision to make about the next stage of his career. Returning to the Premier League may well appeal after a frustrating spell in Germany, but it's never as straightforward as supporters would like to believe.

What did catch my attention was Tanswell's explanation of where the negotiations actually sit because it's almost the opposite of another deal Villa have been working on this summer.

"I think progress with Bayern is not an issue. It's opposite to Estupiñán really. I think Bayern and Villa isn't really the issue, it's up to Palhinha. Whereas with Estupiñán, personal terms aren't an issue with Villa. Neither is it with Emerson Royal either. It's just the two selling clubs and whether they want to sell."

That comparison tells you quite a lot. Villa aren't facing the same problem in every negotiation. With Estupiñán and Emerson Royal, the players appear happy enough but the selling clubs still need convincing. With Palhinha, the relationship between Villa and Bayern doesn't sound like the stumbling block. Instead, the focus shifts to the player himself and whether this is the move he ultimately wants to make.

I actually think that's quite encouraging because, if Bayern aren't standing in Villa's way, it keeps the possibility alive. These deals can move quickly once a player reaches a decision and, with more than a month of the window still remaining, there's plenty of time for things to develop.

Tanswell finished by acknowledging exactly where Villa find themselves.

"Villa will then have to decide whether they want to keep going with these three guys or they think, like they have with Emerson at the moment, exploring different options. But yeah, that's where we're at. There's lots to do, lots to get done, both incomings and outgoings."

That's probably the biggest takeaway for me. Villa aren't sitting around waiting for one transfer to happen because they simply can't afford to. Emery, Olabe and the recruitment team are working on several deals simultaneously and they'll have contingency plans for every position. Palhinha remains firmly in the picture, but equally Villa won't allow one negotiation to dictate the rest of their window.

For now, it feels like one to keep a close eye on rather than panic about. The interest is still there, Villa haven't walked away and there doesn't appear to be any major obstacle between the two clubs. Whether Palhinha decides his future lies back in the Premier League is likely to be the question that determines whether this one gathers real momentum over the coming weeks.