'I rejected Man Utd after situation that upset my family - now I could join Tottenham'
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in talks to sign former Manchester United target Joao Palhinha. The midfielder had a challenging first season at Bayern Munich, but previously excelled in the Premier League with Fulham.
The 30-year-old was restricted to just six league starts for the German club during an injury-plagued campaign following his move worth up to £47.4million last summer. Palhinha was a standout performer during his two years at Craven Cottage and was reported to be a target for United and several other clubs during his time in West London.
Bayern eventually won the race to sign Palhinha, having initially seen a deadline day move collapse in 2023. There has been speculation that United have reignited their interest in Palhinha this summer, but the midfielder could return to the Premier League with a different club after emerging as a target for Spurs.
The Independent has reported that Tottenham have started negotiations over a possible loan move for the former Sporting Lisbon star. It is claimed that Spurs held an interest in Palhinha prior to him joining Bayern.
A temporary move to Spurs could allow Palhinha to find his best form ahead of the 2026 World Cup and prove a point to Bayern boss Vincent Kompany. Tottenham are well-stocked in midfield but may wish to bolster their squad after gaining Champions League qualification through their Europa League triumph.
Palhinha has previously proven to be decisive when taking the next steps in his career. Sky Germany reported that the former Fulham midfielder made it clear he would turn down any approach from United as he remained committed to joining Bayern last summer following his collapsed transfer.
Fulham were reported to have demanded £60m for Palhinha, who was claimed to have attracted interest from United, Barcelona and Bayern. Nevertheless, the doubt surrounding then-United manager Erik ten Hag's position, who would pen a contract extension only to face dismissal in October, failed to improve the club's chances of swaying Palhinha.
United's squandered opportunity could prove to be a boost for Spurs should Palhinha join Thomas Frank's outfit on loan. Yet the defensive midfielder will be keen to sidestep another protracted transfer ordeal, having recalled the uncomfortable predicament he faced at Fulham in 2023.
"Obviously, it affected me and my family a lot, but it's water under the bridge, I don't want to remember too much about it," Palhinha said of his collapsed move to Bayern. "It's a great pride, you know what happened. In my life everything that has been happening – it has been for a reason, I like to think that way. The future will tell me whether what really happened was what had to happen or not.
"But only the future will show me that. I want to continue walking the journey as I've been doing, no one has given me anything throughout my career, everything I've achieved is earned, for my work. I hope that continues to be the case. I'm 28 years old, but I know I can reach higher and it's with this ambition that I face the future."
England manager Thomas Tuchel praised Palhinha when he expressed regret at failing to land his midfield target. "I was sad because I know what he would have added to our team," former Bayern boss Tuchel admitted.
"He was sad and disappointed. We'll speak again about what happened. Everyone did what they had to do, but it was too late in the end."
United brought in Manuel Ugarte from Sporting during the same transfer window that saw Palhinha finally complete his switch to Bayern. The £51m midfielder, who previously played alongside Palhinha, featured in 45 matches during his first campaign at United and has been reunited with manager Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, Tottenham secured a 1-0 victory over north London rivals Arsenal at the Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong on Thursday, with midfielder Pape Matar Sarr netting the match's only goal. The club have recruited Mohammed Kudus for £55m and confirmed permanent deals for former loanees Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel, while also capturing several promising youngsters during the summer transfer window.
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