Bayern Munich has officially completed the signing of Portuguese midfielder João Palhinha from Fulham, ending a transfer saga that began last summer. The 29-year-old has signed a contract until 2028 for a fee of approximately €50 million, with potential bonuses bringing the total to €55 million. Palhinha, who will wear the number 16 jersey at Bayern, expressed his excitement about the move, stating, ‘This is one of the happiest days of my life. I’m now playing for one of the absolute top clubs in Europe, which is a dream come true, and I’m very proud’.Bayern’s sporting director Christoph Freund praised Palhinha’s qualities, saying, ‘He is strong in tackles and very good in the air. He is capable of structuring a team and plays very mature and coherent football’. The club’s director general Max Eberl added, ‘João Palhinha was already very appreciated by FC Bayern last summer and rightly so. It was important that the contact was never broken’.While Bayern strengthens its midfield, the club may be on the verge of losing defender Matthijs de Ligt. Manchester United is reportedly in advanced talks to sign the 24-year-old Dutch center-back for a fee of around £42 million. This potential move comes as United looks to bolster its defensive options, having already lost French center-back Raphael Varane.In a separate development, Manchester United has reportedly completed the signing of Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee for over £34 million, exceeding his release clause. The 23-year-old Dutch forward has signed a five-year deal with an option for an additional 12 months. This transfer marks the first signing under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ownership of the club.
Key points
- Bayern Munich has signed João Palhinha from Fulham for €50 million plus bonuses.
- Manchester United is in advanced talks to sign Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich.
- Manchester United has reportedly signed Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna for over £34 million.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported transfer fee for Palhinha, with some sources citing €50 million and others mentioning €55 million including bonuses.
👾The length of Palhinha’s contract is reported as four years in some sources and five years in others.
