Aston Villa have reopened talks with Bayern Munich over João Palhinha, with a season-long loan still their preferred option.
Aston Villa have reopened negotiations with Bayern Munich over João Palhinha, giving the Portuguese midfielder a potential route back to the Premier League after talks appeared to have broken down last week.
Villa’s pursuit looked to be over after Bayern board member for sport Max Eberl confirmed that discussions between the two clubs had stalled. However, according to reports, negotiations have now resumed, with the Premier League side increasingly optimistic that an agreement can still be reached.
Aston Villa have resumed talks to sign João Palhinha from Bayern. Despite interest from Newcastle, Villa still believe they can finalise an agreement for the midfielder, seeking a season-long loan with an option to buy [@J_Tanswell, @TheAthleticFC] pic.twitter.com/DEG2aT6UFD
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) August 18, 2026
Villa’s preferred proposal remains a season-long loan with an option to buy. That structure would allow Unai Emery’s side to bring in the experienced defensive midfielder without immediately committing to a permanent transfer, but Bayern have so far been reluctant to accept those terms.
The Bundesliga giants would prefer to sell Palhinha outright. If a permanent deal cannot be reached, Bayern are understood to favour a loan arrangement that includes an obligation to buy, rather than simply giving Villa the option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the season.
For Palhinha, a move to Villa would represent an opportunity to revive his Premier League career. The midfielder previously established himself as one of the division’s leading defensive midfielders before joining Bayern, but he has struggled to secure a consistent starting role in Munich.
Other options remain available for the 31-year-old. Benfica have reportedly shown interest in bringing Palhinha back to Portugal, while Newcastle United have also been linked with a move. However, Newcastle’s pursuit has failed to progress and is unlikely to develop further at this stage, leaving Aston Villa as the most intriguing Premier League option for Palhinha.
