Tottenham have completed the signing of Joao Palhinha on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich, with an option to make the deal permanent next summer.
The 30-year-old midfielder returns to the Premier League after a season in Germany, where he made 25 appearances in all competitions and helped Bayern secure the Bundesliga title.
Palhinha made his name in English football at Fulham, where he quickly established himself as one of the league’s standout defensive midfielders.
Signed from Sporting in 2022, he was named the Cottagers' player of the season in his first year and led the division in tackles over two campaigns, scoring eight goals in 79 appearances.
His combative style and positional discipline caught the attention of Bayern, who moved for him in July 2024.
However, with competition stiff in midfield and minutes limited, the Portugal stalwart now heads back to London - this time to the north - as Thomas Frank looks to bolster his options.
Palhinha came through the ranks at Sacavenense before joining Sporting in 2012, still as a youth player. He made his debut for the B team at 18 and broke into the senior side in January 2017.
Early spells on loan at Moreirense, Belenenses and Braga offered valuable experience, with his time under Ruben Amorim at the latter culminating in a League Cup triumph in 2019/20.
He then returned to Sporting and played a central role in their long-awaited 2020/21 title win - the club’s first in nearly two decades - earning a place in the official team of the season.
Two League Cups and a Super Cup would follow before his move to the Premier League.
At international level, Palhinha made his senior debut for Portugal in 2021 and has since earned 34 caps.
He featured at the past two Euros, in 2020 and 2024, as well as the 2022 World Cup, and was part of the squad that won the Nations League in June.