João Palhinha saw Bayern Munich not want him in their squad, which placed the Portuguese midfielder in a delicate situation during the transfer market. Although he was not desired by the German club, the contract he had signed was worth an additional 18 million euros in his personal account.
The player had options to return to England, where he had already played for Fulham, and for higher values than those he ended up receiving. This was a financially more advantageous option in terms of salary.
However, João Palhinha made the decision to choose Benfica to return to Portugal. The choice of the red-and-white club was mainly due to the desire to be closer to his two children, at a time when family became a priority in his life.
This change represents a radical alteration in the player's lifestyle in a few weeks, going from a scenario of exclusion at Bayern Munich to a reconnection with Portuguese football and, more importantly, with the proximity of his children.
