The Aston Villa-Benfica battle for Joao Palhinha

The future of Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha is beginning to take shape amid a tug-of-war between two clubs. According to Sky Germany, Benfica and Aston Villa continue talks with the player; Bayern, meanwhile, want Palhinha to leave the club as soon as possible.

However, the latest information suggests the process has taken a decisive turn in Aston Villa's favour. According to a report from A Bola, Palhinha is on the verge of joining Aston Villa and is expected in England tomorrow to finalise the agreement; despite Benfica's interest, the 31-year-old now appears set to stay in the Premier League.

The background to Villa's involvement in this file is also clear. Having opened negotiations with Bayern a few days ago following Amadou Onana's ACL injury at the World Cup, Villa's search was further accelerated by Youri Tielemans' move to Manchester United.

The player's current standing at Bayern also explains this departure. Having spent last season on loan at Tottenham, where the English club chose not to exercise their permanent transfer option, Palhinha returned to Bayern but is no longer considered part of head coach Vincent Kompany's plans.

The terms offered by the two clubs also carry different advantages. While it remains unclear whether the deal would be a loan with a buy option or a permanent transfer, Villa are reported to be able to offer both a more generous financial package than Benfica and the chance to play Champions League football; Benfica's strongest card, meanwhile, is said to be emotional rather than financial — the chance for the player to be close to his family and reunite with Marco Silva.

Source: Sky Germany
Image: Yahoo Sports