Palhinha was already in Munich
FC Bayern make a fool of themselves on Deadline Day
9/1/2023, 7:37 p.m
Thomas Tuchel will be bitterly disappointed: FC Bayern will not get a change on the last day of the open transfer window. João Palhinha is already in Munich, but it doesn’t pay off. For the record champions, that’s a real smack.
Thomas Tuchel’s dream player João Palhinha had already completed the medical check, posed for photos in his jersey and appeared openly on Säbener Straße – but then the German record champions Bayern Munich suddenly got a rebuff. According to consistent media reports, FC Fulham remained firm and refused to release Palhinha, the midfield clearer so longed for by FCB coach Tuchel.
No Palhinha. No Armel Bella-Kotschap – the transfer of the German national player from FC Southampton also seemed to be on the home straight. No Cancelo, no Ndidi, no Chalobah, no Geertruida or whoever was last traded for the biggest construction sites in midfield and defense at Bayern. After the tough but successful tugging at Harry Kane, the record champion got a bloody nose.
In the case of Palhinha, the clubs had already practically agreed that the player should move to the Bundesliga for 65 million euros and sign a five-year contract until 2028. But because the Premier League club could not find an adequate replacement for the Portuguese in such a short time, the deal fell through on the home straight.
Gravenberch already said goodbye.
Bayern naturally did not confirm this sensitive damper on the transfer market, but their preparation for the Bundesliga game against feared opponents Borussia Mönchengladbach was clearly disrupted. “It remains exciting and thrilling. You mustn’t let yourself be distracted too much,” said Bayern coach Tuchel. Tuchel did not want to take part in the speculation at the matchday press conference, but he said: “We are trying to supplement and strengthen our team. It seems to be a last-minute decision. It is what it is.”
Tuchel was probably still in a good mood at this point, various media had reported the change as “almost perfect”. After all, the coach had vehemently emphasized that he wanted a midfielder who really thinks defensively and acts as a clearer.
A quality that Tuchel apparently missed in his top dogs in defensive midfield. According to Tuchel, vice-captain Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Konrad Laimer are too similar in their style of play. Now the coach apparently has to come up with a solution with the existing players.
Ryan Gravenberch no longer plays a role, his move to Liverpool took place late in the evening. The Dutch midfielder promises more playing time at the English top club, FC Bayern collects 45 million euros including possible bonus payments.
“Big Gap”
Instead, that of the right-back, where after the departures of Benjamin Pavard (Inter Milan) and Josip Stanisic (Leverkusen) there was a “big gap”, as Tuchel admitted. Since nothing happened until the end of the transfer, “we have to get creative”. Against Augsburg (3:1) Laimer was allowed to try his hand on the right. At times on Friday there were rumors that last season’s João Cancelo could close the gap, but this did not come true.
Against Gladbach on Saturday (6.30 p.m./Sky and in the ntv.de live ticker) will defend Noussair Mazraoui one way or the other. In general, Tuchel will probably trust the team around Harry Kane again, who started the league with two wins – and the third should follow, even if it’s against Gladbach. In 19 duels since 2014 there have been nine defeats with just six wins, and Bayern have recently been without a win five times.