Tottenham Confirm Loan Signing of João Palhinha from Bayern Munich in Boost for Thomas Frank Following Maddison Injury Blow

Tottenham Hotspur have officially confirmed the loan signing of midfielder João Palhinha from Bayern Munich, in a timely boost for head coach Thomas Frank following James Maddison’s serious injury setback.

The 30-year-old Portuguese international joins Spurs on a season-long loan, with an option to make the move permanent next summer. Reports indicated Palhinha completed his medical checks over the weekend, and Tottenham will cover his full wages throughout the loan period.

Palhinha was placed on Bayern’s transfer list just a year after arriving from Fulham in a deal worth approximately £45 million. Despite his proven Premier League pedigree, he made only 10 appearances under Vincent Kompany at the Bundesliga champions last season.

During his two-year stint at Fulham, Palhinha made 79 appearances and won the club’s Player of the Season award in his debut campaign. He had attracted renewed interest from several Premier League sides, including a potential return to Fulham, but Spurs ultimately secured the deal.

Although he had three years remaining on his contract in Germany and initially wanted to fight for his place, it quickly became evident that he was not part of Kompany’s long-term plans.

Spurs have been active in the transfer market this summer. Palhinha’s arrival follows the £55 million signing of attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus from West Ham, while young forward Mathys Tel’s loan from Bayern has been made permanent on a six-year deal. Tottenham have also added Luka Vuskovic from Hajduk Split and Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale to strengthen the squad further.

The announcement of Palhinha’s move came just hours after a significant blow for Spurs, as James Maddison suffered a potentially serious knee injury during a 1–1 draw with Newcastle in a pre-season friendly. Maddison appeared to damage his right knee following an innocuous challenge and was stretchered off the pitch.

Speaking after the match, which also marked Son Heung-min’s farewell appearance for the club, Thomas Frank offered a sombre update:

“Sometimes in life and football, things can be both beautiful and brutal. That’s what we got today.
It looks like a bad injury for Madders, and on the other side, unbelievable scenes for Son from his team-mates and the respect shown by the Newcastle players.
We’re pretty sure it was the same knee he injured before.”