Newcastle United is intensifying its efforts to sign Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich. The 31-year-old Portuguese player, currently under contract with Fenerbahçe, is reportedly offered a three-year contract. However, the transfer is still not finalized as Newcastle United and Bayern Munich are still negotiating the price.
The transfer of Palhinha was initially considered as a potential option for Aston Villa, but after Aston Villa's negotiations were abandoned, Newcastle United has made a new approach. The report by journalist Chris Waugh from The Athletic confirms that Newcastle United has contacted Bayern Munich to negotiate a permanent transfer for Palhinha.
Bayern Munich has not yet made an official statement, but the sporting director Max Eberl has made it clear that a loan deal for Palhinha is not possible.
Palhinha had already initially rejected Newcastle United's offer to leave, as he only wanted to return to the Premier League. However, he might reconsider the transfer if Newcastle United offers an official contract.
Bayern Munich is seeking to negotiate a transfer fee of 30 million euros for Palhinha, but Newcastle United and the German club are still not in agreement.
Additionally, Benfica and Sporting are interested in Palhinha in Portugal, but Newcastle is currently the preferred option.
The negotiations are still in the making, and it remains to be seen whether Newcastle United and Bayern Munich can find a compromise to finalize the transfer of Palhinha.
