/https://sportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net/25/18/joao-palhinha.jpg "Spurs Palhinha boost as Bayern chief insists deal will not - Sports Mole")
Bayern Munich sporting director Christoph Freund has insisted that Joao Palhinha's move to Tottenham Hotspur will not take long to be resolved.
The Londoners managed to claim a victory against fierce rivals Arsenal during their pre-season campaign, winning 1-0 on Thursday thanks to midfielder Pape Sarr's long-range strike.
New boss Thomas Frank has brought back a sense of optimism to supporters following the team's disastrous displays in 2024-25, when they finished 17th in the Premier League.
Spurs have made a number of additions this summer in a bid to address the frailties within their squad, and they are reportedly closing in on a loan deal for Bayern midfielder Palhinha.
According to BILD reporter Heiko Niedderer, the Bavarians' sporting director Freund has expressed confidence that a transfer would soon be completed, saying: "If everything goes smoothly, it won't drag on endlessly. Soon."
The deal to bring the Portuguese defensive midfielder to England would also include the option to buy him permanently for £26.1m next summer.
Why Thomas Frank wants to reinforce in midfield
Tottenham performed well last season from an offensive perspective despite the club suffering an injury crisis, scoring 64 goals in the league, the joint seventh best return in the division.
However, Spurs also conceded on 65 occasions, their worst defensive performance across a league campaign since 1992-93, when they conceded 66 times.
Frank currently has a number of midfield options available to him, but the likes of Yves Bissouma have so far failed to impress on a consistent basis.
Palhinha is capable of playing well in a possession-oriented system like Bissouma, but he also demonstrated during his time in the Premier League with Fulham that he is a formidable defensive presence as well.
Frank found great success at Brentford using Christian Norgaard as the Bees' number six, and it is not surprising that he has looked to bring in Palhinha considering the two are stylistically similar.
Can Tottenham Hotspur challenge for the Champions League places?
Frank's primary challenge as Spurs boss will be to get his side back to competing in the Champions League on a regular basis, as while they qualified for the tournament thanks to winning the Europa League in 2024-25, their only realistic pathway to the competition in 2026-27 is through league placement.
The addition of stars such as Mohammed Kudus has significantly strengthened Tottenham's forward options, but it would be difficult to see the club closng the gap to Newcastle United and Chelsea without improving their performances out of possession.
Palhinha may be 30 years old, but if he can help stabilise Tottenham's defensive base in 2025-26, then the team's attackers will be better able to influence play in the final third without having to always track back.