Former Fulham and Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha has admitted that this year following his move from Fulham has been one of the hardest of his career.
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paper covered comments from the Portuguese midfielder today made after Bayern Munich celebrated their title success over the weekend.
Palhinha joined the German giants in a big money move from Fulham in the summer, having been linked with them since the January transfer window. He had been close to joining on the final day of the window before the move collapsed, leaving him in tears.
He had been expected to be a key player under Vincent Kompany but has spent most of the season on the outside looking in, with injuries playing their part.
He very much finds himself down the pecking order behind the likes of Joshua Kimmich and Aleks Pavlovic and a two-and-a-half-month layoff with a torn ligament from November even had Leon Goretzka step in front of him in his position.
It’s led to reports that Bayern want to sell this summer, preferably back to the Premier League, where they believe there are clubs waiting to give them their money back.
The midfielder continues to insist he wants to remain where he is but admits that the move from Fulham hasn’t gone as he would have imagined.
“To be honest, on a personal level, this season has been one of the hardest, if not the hardest, of my career so far,” he said.
“I want to stay. Why not? I’m at one of the best clubs in the world. Just because things weren’t going well for me in my first year doesn’t mean I want to leave again. That only gives me more will to keep fighting. If there’s anyone who wants to prove their worth, it’s me.”