João Palhinha has returned to Bayern Munich for the start of pre-season training despite ongoing speculation linking him with moves to Aston Villa and Benfica.
The Portugal international remains the subject of transfer interest this summer, but for now has reported for duty under Vincent Kompany as the Bundesliga champions begin preparations for the new campaign.
Palhinha joins Bayern's pre-season camp
Palhinha was among a small group of Bayern players to report for pre-season physical testing on Monday.
With the majority of the squad still on holiday following the 2026 World Cup, only eight players were present at the club's training ground, including Palhinha, Arijon Ibrahimović, Bryan Zaragoza, Sacha Boey, Sven Ulreich, Tom Bischof, along with injured duo Serge Gnabry and Lennart Karl.
The midfielder is expected to take part in Bayern's first on-field training session on Tuesday unless developments in the transfer market accelerate.
Benfica move remains possible
Speaking before travelling back to Germany, Palhinha refused to rule out a future return to Benfica.
The 31-year-old admitted he expects to wear the Portuguese club's colours again one day but stopped short of confirming whether that reunion will happen this summer.
His comments have only fuelled speculation as Benfica continue to explore a deal for their former academy graduate.
Aston Villa remain interested
Aston Villa are also monitoring Palhinha's situation as Unai Emery continues to assess his midfield options.
The former Fulham midfielder has emerged as a potential target following Villa's reshuffle in the centre of the pitch, although negotiations remain ongoing and no agreement has yet been reached with Bayern.
Having joined the German giants from Fulham in 2024 for €50 million, Palhinha still has several years remaining on his contract, meaning Bayern are under no immediate pressure to sell.
Whether he travels with the squad on their pre-season tour of South Korea and Hong Kong next month could depend on how talks develop over the coming weeks.
What's next?
Palhinha is expected to continue training with Bayern while his future remains unresolved.
With Aston Villa and Benfica both monitoring the experienced midfielder, the coming weeks could determine whether he stays under Vincent Kompany or completes another high-profile move before the transfer window closes.
Would João Palhinha be the ideal midfield signing for Aston Villa this summer?
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