Midfielder, Joao Palhinha has joined Bayern Munich from Fulham in a £47.3m transfer.
Palhinha previously was subject of a failed bid by Bayern Munich last summer but the Bundesliga club finally agreed a £47.3m transfer fee with Fulham for the midfielder, consisting of an initial £43.1m payment plus a further £4.2m in add-ons.
Confirmation of his move means that the 29 year-old has left Fulham after two seasons having scored eight goals and created one assist in 79 appearances, following his move to the Cottagers in July 2022 from Sporting Lisbon.
Speaking upon completion of his move, Palhinha commented: “This is one of the happiest days of my life. I’m now playing for one of the top clubs in Europe. It’s a dream come true for me, and I’m very proud of that.
“I’m looking forward to the atmosphere and the fans at the Allianz Arena. I want to enjoy success with FC Bayern and win titles – I’ll give it my all.”
Bayern’s Sporting Director, Christoph Freund added: “We kept at it since last summer and now finally have João Palhinha with us. He will be very valuable for FC Bayern.
“João is strong in tackles and very good in the air. He can give a team structure and plays consistent and very mature football. He also has great character and is a real leader. Bayern fans can look forward to João Palhinha.”
Vice-Chairman and Director of Football Operations at Fulham, Tony Khan paid tribute to the Portuguese midfielder for his impact at Craven Cottage.
“João Palhinha has been a fantastic player for Fulham since he joined us in July 2022. His formidable presence in the midfield, his aggressiveness and phenomenal skill have made him a fan favourite and a leader on the pitch for Fulham.
“All of us at the Club are grateful for João’s hard work, the time we shared with him, and the great memories from these past few years working together.”
Palhinha has signed a four-year contract until June 2028 will make his competitive Bayern debut away to Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Friday 23 August at 8:30pm CEST (7:30pm UK Time).
The Portugal international is the second Premier League player to join Bayern this summer, after Michael Olise made the move from Crystal Palace, whilst manager – Vincent Kompany joined from Burnley following the Clarets’ relegation from the top-flight.
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