Bayern Munich completed the signing of Portugal midfielder Joao Palhinha from Fulham on Thursday for a reported fee of 49 million euros ($53 million), after nearly securing his transfer last year. The 28-year-old, who had spent two years at Fulham since his move from Sporting Lisbon in 2022 for 22 million euros, signed a four-year contract with Bayern.
Last year, Bayern had come close to signing Palhinha, even releasing photos of him in the club’s kit, but the deal collapsed when Fulham couldn’t find a replacement before the transfer window closed. In a statement, Palhinha expressed his joy, calling it “one of the happiest days of my life” and a dream come true to join Bayern with the ambition to achieve success and win titles.
Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl noted that Palhinha had been a target for the club since last summer, highlighting his value and the persistence in negotiations. Palhinha, who has scored twice in 31 appearances for Portugal, recently featured in their Euro 2024 campaign that ended in the quarter-finals against France.
This signing marks Bayern’s third major acquisition of the summer, following the arrivals of forward Michael Olise and centre-back Hiroki Ito, alongside Vincent Kompany as the new head coach. Kompany’s task is to rejuvenate Bayern after their first trophyless season since 2012, aiming to reclaim dominance in the Bundesliga and improve their performance in the Champions League, especially with the final scheduled at Bayern’s Allianz Arena next season.
