People move to live! Bayern abandoned the player and became the Premier League steals leader. Tottenham can buy him out for 30 million

In the football world, the transfer of some players is like a twist of fate, and Palinha is such an example. The former Premier League steals leader, after a season of frustration with Bayern Munich, now returns to the Premier League on loan and joins Tottenham Hotspur. Under Frank, he shined again, regaining the top spot in the Premier League in steals and helping the team rank third in the league. Now, Tottenham is considering buying out the 30-year-old Palinha in advance, and the buyout fee is only 30 million at most. There is no doubt that Tottenham are doing a great deal.

Palinha made his debut at Sporting CP and became famous at Fulham in the Premier League. In the 22-23 and 23-24 seasons of the Premier League, he continued to lead the Premier League in steals with 147 and 152 steals respectively. He is a well-deserved defensive midfielder. Not only did he have outstanding stealing ability, he was also quite threatening in aerial confrontation, interception, long-range shooting, etc. He was one of the most dominant defensive midfielders in the Premier League at the time.

In the summer of 2024, Bayern Munich signed him for a high price of 51 million euros, hoping that he could bring hardness and defensive protection to the team's midfield. However, Palinha's career at Bayern was not satisfactory. In the tactical system of coach Kompany, midfielders need to have stronger ball control and organizational skills, and Palinha's style of "specializing in destruction and poor organization" seems out of place. He only played 25 times throughout the season, including only 10 starts. He failed to contribute any goals or assists. His average steals per game also plummeted to 1.18, which was far lower than his performance in the Premier League.

In the summer of 2025, Palinha joined Tottenham on a loan for one year. The contract included an optional buyout clause of 25 million to 30 million euros. This transfer became an important turning point in his career. After returning to the Premier League, Palinha quickly regained his form and once again became a barrier in the midfield with his tough defense, excellent stealing and interception abilities.

In Tottenham's system, Palinha no longer needs to take on too many organizational tasks, but focuses on defense and rhythm destruction, which exactly brings out his greatest advantage. His arrival not only improved the team's defensive stability and provided strong protection for the back line, but also actively advanced on the offensive end, scoring 3 goals and 1 assist, which can be said to be both offensive and defensive.

At present, Tottenham are extremely satisfied with Palinha's performance, and both the club and the players are interested in continuing to cooperate. According to multiple media reports, Tottenham is very likely to activate the buyout clause next summer and sign him permanently for 30 million euros. Considering his current role in the team and the market conditions of the Premier League, this transaction can be called a "cabbage price".

Palinha's experience once again confirms the old saying: "People live when they are moved, and trees die when they are moved." In Bayern, he was marginalized due to a mismatch in tactics; but in Tottenham, he found himself and became the "stealing machine" that frightened opponents again. His story also reminds people that a player's success not only depends on personal ability, but also requires a suitable tactical environment and trust.