Bayern spent most of August insisting the Portugal midfielder could only leave on a permanent basis. That line held even after Aston Villa moved for Palhinha and personal terms with the 31-year-old were agreed. On Friday, Max Eberl said flatly that Bayern would not agree with Villa on the loan structure the Premier League club had put forward.
“It’s true that Aston Villa contacted us about João. But we won’t reach an agreement with Aston Villa,” the Bayern board member for sport told reporters.
Two days later the position moved. In comments published on 16 August, Eberl walked back the ultimatum on structure.
“I’ve never said that [only permanent]. We have to see. There are many different possibilities.”
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“The talks take place between 3 parties. And it has to be a fit for everyone.”
That reopens the very structure Villa have been pushing for. Sky Sport’s Florian Plettenberg reported earlier this month that Bayern had rejected a Villa loan-with-option offer, with the German champions asking €25m to €30m for a permanent departure. A loan fee heavy enough to close that valuation gap is now the framework in play.
A €51m signing Bayern want off the books
Palhinha joined Bayern from Fulham in 2024 for around €51m and never held down a starting spot under Vincent Kompany. Loaned back to the Premier League last season, he made 33 league appearances for Tottenham, who declined to sign him permanently.
Villa’s midfield emergency
Aston Villa’s sporting director Damian Vidagany publicly confirmed the interest after Amadou Onana was ruled out for the season, leaving Unai Emery short in central midfield heading into a Champions League campaign. Personal terms with Palhinha were locked in on 12 August, according to Fabrizio Romano, with the player having informed Bayern of his wish to return to England.
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Villa are not alone in that pursuit. Newcastle have entered the picture in the last week and are reportedly preparing a three-year offer, adding urgency for Emery’s club to convert Palhinha’s stated preference into a completed deal.
Under two weeks to close it
The Bundesliga transfer window closes on Monday 31 August, a day before the Premier League deadline. Bayern’s shift on structure removes the largest obstacle that has stalled negotiations for most of the month. Whatever loan fee the sides eventually settle on, the return on the €51m Bayern spent two summers ago will fall well short of that outlay.
