Before their Club World Cup campaign kicked off, Arsenal had made a serious push to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha.
According to @itstheicebird via @imxxxd7, the Gunners held concrete talks over a potential deal, even after sealing the arrival of Martin Zubimendi. But the move ultimately fell through, with no agreement reached.
Prior to club world cup, Arsenal were in concrete talks for Joao Palhinha despite signing Zubimendi but ultimately could not come to an agreement for the transfer
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Palhinha, who was widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s top defensive midfielders last season, was seen as a complementary addition to Arsenal’s engine room. Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta were reportedly aligned on bringing in more midfield presence and experience, especially with a long season ahead in multiple competitions.
Why Arsenal wanted Palhinha despite Zubimendi
Martin Zubimendi was always viewed as the priority long-term addition in midfield, and his signing was completed early in the window. However, Palhinha brought something different. The 29-year-old offers unmatched physicality, elite ball-winning numbers, and Premier League experience that could have been crucial in tightly contested away fixtures and knockout games.
Arsenal were looking for additional stability at the base of midfield, especially with departure of Thomas Partey and Jorginho and it looks like Palhinha was considered the perfect partner or rotation option for Zubimendi. A midfield tandem that could have offered both control and steel in equal measure.
Why the deal for Palhinha collapsed?
Despite firm interest and early conversations, Arsenal were not able to reach common terms on the fee side of things with Bayern given that the Gunners who were fresh from their €60 million investment in Zubimendi, were unwilling to go above a certain threshold, especially with other targets like Viktor Gyokeres also on the books. Negotiations stalled and the deal was shelved.
It’s not clear if Arsenal will revisit the Palhinha situation later in the window, especially if there are midfield exits. But for now, the move is off the table and the Portuguese international remains at Bayern for the time being.
Author Opinion
Arsenal’s midfield recruitment strategy is clearly built around both long-term quality and short-term depth. While Zubimendi is expected to start, the failed pursuit of Palhinha shows they’re not done reinforcing the spine of the team. If the right deal emerges, don’t be surprised to see another powerful midfielder walk through the Emirates doors this summer.
