After a drawn out saga that lasted several transfer windows, Portuguese midfielder João Palhinha finally made his dream move to Bayern Munich this summer.
But life in Bavaria has not gotten off to a fast start. Palhinha is adjusting and adapting but so far still making his way into head coach Vincent Kompany’s side.
That does not mean Bayern is any less thrilled to have gotten its man, though — nor that Palhinha will not get his chances.
“We are very, very happy that we have Palhinha,” sporting director Christoph Freud said in comments captured by Az journalist Maximilian Koch (via @iMiaSanMia). “We will need him. We have a lot of games. When you see the intensity we play with, we need a really good squad. He’s staying positive and training well. It’s a new language, a new country, his first really big club. Everything’s fine.”
Right now, it looks as though Kompany’s first-choice pairing in midfield is Aleksandar Pavlović next to Joshua Kimmich. But with Champions League games coming hot and heavy — two extra before the knockout phase in the new format debuting this season — Palhinha will surely get a chance to make his mark.
