Aston Villa Now Linked With £21m Midfielder After Tielmans’ Exit: Should Emery Press For Him?

Unai Emery has a massive headache. Youri Tielemans is gone, snatched by Manchester United after they triggered his £35m release clause. To make matters worse, Amadou Onana is out with a serious knee injury. The midfield is empty. Naturally, the transfer rumours are creeping, and a surprise name has popped up. Portuguese outlet Record, via Transfer Feed, says Aston Villa are now looking at Bayern Munich outcast João Palhinha.

Aston Villa in transfer race for £21m Bayern midfielder

He is available for cheap. Bayern want about £21.2m, which is a massive drop from the €56m they paid Fulham two years ago. Benfica want him too, but they prefer a loan with an obligation to buy. Villa can just pay the cash right now.

Last season was weird for Palhinha. He was on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, where he played 45 times. Spurs had a terrible year and barely stayed up, but Palhinha was a bright spark. He attempted 139 tackles, the most in the squad. He recovered the ball 122 times. He even scored five league goals, matching Richarlison as the club’s joint-top scorer. Yet, Spurs chose not to pay the £26m option to sign him permanently, spending their money on Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali instead.

Why this bargain might be a trap for Emery

LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 24: Joao Palhinha of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after the team secured safety from relegation during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Cheap does not mean correct. Palhinha is 31. Injuries and bench duty behind Kimmich and Pavlovic plagued his time at Bayern. Yes, he tackles everything that moves, but he does not control games. Tielemans kept the ball, completing nearly 85 per cent of his passes and creating 25 assists during his time at Villa Park. Palhinha is a destroyer. He is not a playmaker.

Villa might need a midfielder who can defend and control. Palhinha only ticks one of those boxes. If Emery buys him to replace Tielemans directly, the midfield will lose its brain. It will become clunky.

If they want real quality, they should look elsewhere. Adam Wharton would make far more sense. Even a serious push for Pablo Barrios would fit the system better. Palhinha is a decent squad player for £21m, but relying on him to run the show is a mistake.