David Ornstein: Palhinha to have Spurs medical ahead of loan move from Bayern

Joao Palhinha is to have a Tottenham medical in Germany on Friday ahead of a season-long loan move from Bayern Munich.

The deal includes the option to make the transfer permanent for €30million at the end of the season, and Spurs will cover his full wages.

The Athletic reported on Thursday that Tottenham were in talks with Bayern over a proposed loan move for Palhinha. The Portuguese midfielder was made available by the German champions this summer, but the Premier League club favoured a loan move over a permanent deal.

Palhinha joined Bayern last summer in a deal worth €51million ($58.3m) following a successful two years at Fulham but he made just 25 appearances for Vincent Kompany’s side, of which 10 were starts.

The 30-year-old was often behind Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Konrad Laimer in Kompany’s selection, and the German champions have signed another midfielder, Tom Bischof, this summer.

Tottenham and Bayern have already done business this summer, after the north London club signed Mathys Tel permanently, following his loan spell in the second half of 2024-25.

Palhinha was Fulham’s player of the season in his debut campaign at Craven Cottage and made 79 appearances in total for the club. Before his move to the Premier League, he had spent the entirety of his senior career in Portugal with Sporting CP and had several loan spells elsewhere.

The Portugal international could become Tottenham’s fifth new arrival of the summer. Mohammed Kudus joined Spurs from West Ham United earlier in July in a deal worth £55million ($74.7m), alongside defenders Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai from Hajduk Split and Kawasaki respectively, while Tel joined permanently from Bayern.

Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White was set to undergo a medical to join Tottenham but later signed a new contract at the City Ground.