Newcastle united eyes joão palhinha amidst höjbjerg transfer uncertainty

João Palhinha’s future at FC Bayern Munich appears to be over, with the club even removing the defensive midfielder from their official squad roster. However, the Premier League still presents a strong market for the Portuguese international.

Beyond Aston Villa, Newcastle United has reportedly added the 31-year-old Portuguese player to their radar. According to a recent report, Palhinha is seen by the Magpies as the primary alternative should the transfer of Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg from Olympique de Marseille ultimately fall through.

This scenario could soon see Newcastle entrusting their defensive midfield responsibilities to either Höjbjerg, a former Bayern talent, or Palhinha. Palhinha, a player specifically desired by former Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, initially arrived in Munich in 2025. This move came after his transfer from Fulham FC dramatically collapsed at the eleventh hour the previous year due to Fulham’s refusal to release him.

The Munich club had then assured the Portuguese star they would persist in their efforts. Yet, by the time he eventually joined Bayern for a fee estimated around 50 million euros, Tuchel’s tenure was already a thing of the past. His successor, Vincent Kompany, found little use for the purely defensive tackler.

Palhinha spent the last season on a somewhat successful loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur. However, a permanent transfer failed to materialize due to Bayern’s financial demands. Neither Tottenham, Palhinha’s formative club Sporting, nor their fierce rivals Benfica were prepared to meet the reported 35 million euros asking price.

Who is interested in joão palhinha?

Following Aston Villa’s sporting director, Damian Vidagany, publicly confirming interest in Palhinha on Friday, amidst Villa’s 2-1 friendly defeat to Bayern in Hong Kong, Newcastle has now reportedly entered the fray.

At Newcastle United, the coffers are certainly full after the departures of central midfielders Sandro Tonali (to Tottenham) and Bruno Guimaraes (to champions Arsenal), generating a combined transfer income of 204.5 million euros. Despite this, the squad of new German coach Matthias Jaissle urgently requires a defensive midfielder.

Who else could bolster newcastle united’s midfield?

The top choice remains Höjbjerg, who spent his youth career at Bayern Munich from 2012 to 2016 before moving on to Southampton, Tottenham, and then Marseille, establishing himself in both the Premier League and French leagues. However, if the Danish midfielder’s transfer encounters obstacles, Palhinha could quickly emerge as a strong contender, according to reports.

Financially, a transfer should not be an issue for Newcastle. While often dubbed the world’s wealthiest club, they have recently adopted a more measured approach to spending, ensuring value for their investments.