Player profile
About João Palhinha
João Maria Lobo Alves Palhares Costa Palhinha Gonçalves is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, on loan from Bundesliga club Bayern Munich, and the Portugal national team. He came through at Sporting CP, first appearing with the first team in 2017 and also having loans at Moreirense, Belenenses and Braga. After returning in 2020, he became a starter, notably winning the 2020–21 Primeira Liga and back-to-back Taças da Liga in 2021 and 2022. In July 2022, he was signed by Premier League side Fulham for £20 million, spending two seasons with the club and helping them achieve mid-table finishes in both. He joined Bayern Munich in July 2024. A former Portugal youth international, finishing second at the 2014 European Under-19 Championship, Palhinha made his full debut in 2021 and was part of the squads at the 2022 World Cup and two European Championships.
