Where do we stand in the Joao Palhinha to Newcastle United transfer situation? That feels a bit unclear. Firstly, reports had emerged suggesting that he had agreed personal terms with Aston Villa.
Immediately, most had given up hope that the move could happen any longer. After all, Newcastle United fans have already seen Johan Manzambi turn the club down to join Aston Villa this summer.
Then, there was a twist in the tale. It looked like Aston Villa wanted Palhinha on loan. That did not seem to satisfy Bayern Munich, who are believed to be looking to engineer a permanent exit for the midfielder.
As a result, Newcastle United seemed right back in the race. But in the following days, nothing fresh emerged in the media. So, where do we stand now? Well, it looks like we might finally have an answer. But it is not a positive one if you are a Newcastle United fan.
Joao Palhinha’s stance on Newcastle United move
According to Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness), the proposal from Newcastle United is the one Bayern Munich like the most. The Bundesliga champions would prefer the permanent transfer that the Magpies are offering.
But Palhinha is believed to have already told Bayern Munich that he does not want to join Newcastle United. The report goes on to state that the midfielder has made it clear he would only be interested in leaving for Benfica or Aston Villa. The Bavarian giants are now working to convince him to change his stance and agree personal terms with the Magpies.
Obviously, this feels like deja vu in a way if you are a Newcastle United fan. We have already seen this happen multiple times this summer, where a player does not want to join the club or simply prefers another option.
Victor Munoz, Manzambi and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg are all on that list. Could Palhinha’s name be added to it soon as well? It certainly seems to be heading in that direction.
Newcastle running out of options now
In an ideal world, you should not try to pursue players who don’t want to come to the club. So, whether Palhinha joins or not, that question mark will always be there.
The bad news is that Newcastle United might be quickly running out of alternatives in that area as well, especially when you consider that experience and proven quality appear to be a factor as well.
Obviously, the lack of European football is a factor at play. But at the same time, is that the only reason that the club are struggling so badly to convince players to join them?
It almost feels like we are missing something here. At the end of the day, Newcastle United are a big club with a good track record of success in recent years. This is not how their transfer window should look, but it does.
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