Aston Villa in talks with Bayern Munich over Joao Palhinha transfer

Aston Villa are negotiating with Bayern Munich to sign Portugal midfielder Joao Palhinha, sporting director Damiano Vidagany has confirmed, although the two clubs have yet to reach an agreement.

Villa are looking to strengthen their midfield after Amadou Onana suffered a serious knee injury that is expected to keep him out for the rest of the season. The club have also lost Youri Tielemans, who has joined Manchester United.

Palhinha had previously been linked with a move to Aston Villa earlier in the summer transfer window, but speculation about a potential deal had reduced in recent weeks.

The midfielder was involved when the two clubs met in a friendly on Friday, with Bayern Munich winning 2-1. Palhinha came on as a substitute during the match.

Speaking to German newspaper Bild, Vidagany said Villa remained keen to complete a deal for the 29-year-old, while stressing that negotiations were still ongoing.

“We need a midfielder because Amadou Onana will be out for the whole season, and Joao Palhinha is a very good player who could fit into our plans,” he said.

“We are in negotiations, but there is no agreement at the moment. If something happens, it will always be based on the great respect we have for Bayern.”

Vidagany added that the relationship between the two clubs was positive and that he did not want to discuss further details publicly.

“We are two clubs with a friendly relationship, and our relationship with Max Eberl, Christoph Freund and all the other officials is excellent, so I cannot and do not want to comment on further details,” he said.

Villa make case for Palhinha move

Vidagany also suggested that Aston Villa would provide Palhinha with an ideal environment to continue his career.

“I think Aston Villa would be a great club for the player. In the league, there are six or seven clubs with bigger budgets than us,” he said.

“Despite that, we have qualified for European competitions every year for the past four years.”

He attributed that record to the club’s wider project, collective work and the influence of manager Unai Emery, whom he described as one of the best coaches in the world.

A Bayern Munich official recently acknowledged that Palhinha is not part of Vincent Kompany’s plans for next season. That could increase the likelihood of the Portugal international leaving the German club before the new Premier League campaign begins.

However, negotiations may not be concluded before Aston Villa face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup final on Wednesday.

Villa’s pursuit of Palhinha comes after the former Fulham midfielder joined Bayern Munich, but the source article does not provide further details about the timing or financial terms of that move. For now, the clubs remain in discussions, with no agreement in place.