Bayern Munich confirmed on Friday that a transfer of Joao Palhinha to SL Benfica was in the final stages. However, the last hurdles apparently have not yet been cleared. The record champions did make a decision regarding the midfielder nonetheless.

Bayern extended their transfer flop's leave of absence. This is reported by Portuguese media outlet "Sopa". Palhinha, who traveled to Portugal over the weekend, does not have to make the return trip to Munich to participate in Bayern's training operations.

Instead, the 31-year-old is now waiting in the capital until the final details of a transfer are clarified. According to reports, Benfica received a significant price reduction. Only around 15 million euros plus five million in bonuses will be due, according to Portuguese media.

Bayern sporting director Max Eberl had already explained on Friday that there was "a lot of movement" in the matter, but there were "still a few things to clarify that play a role in such a transfer," Eberl stated.

Palhinha developed at city rivals

For Palhinha, the impending transfer is a return to his homeland, as the Portuguese player was born in Lisbon. However, he took his path to becoming a professional at city rival Sporting, where he played in the youth academy and later made his mark.

The move to Fulham followed in 2022, where he impressed with strong performances and caught the attention of Bayern Munich. After several attempts, the record champions brought Palhinha to the Isar in 2024 for nearly 50 million euros.

However, the midfielder could rarely convince and was only the fourth option in central midfield behind Kimmich, Goretzka, and Pavlovic. Bayern therefore loaned Palhinha to Tottenham in 2025, and now the misunderstanding appears to finally be coming to an end.