“One of the happiest days of my life” – Palhinha signs for Bayern

João Palhinha has finally competed his long-awaited transfer from Fulham to Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich, signing a four-year deal in Germany.

Palhinha had been set to move to Bayern at the end of last summer’s transfer window, but the deal collapsed at the last minute. Now the Portugal midfielder has got what he describes as a dream move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Bayern are believed to have paid a fee in the region €50m plus add-ons for Palhinha, who turned 29 earlier this week. The deal represents a strong profit for the London club, who brought Palhinha to the Premier League from Sporting two years ago for a reported €22m.

“I’m really happy, it’s one of the happiest days of my life,” Palhinha told Bayern’s media. “A dream come true to play for one of the top teams. I’m really proud. It’s a moment of my life that I feel very proud of what I’ve reached. I want to continue the history and keep winning trophies. That’s the most important thing for me at the moment.

“It’s something that makes every player proud, to sign for a big club like this. Since I was young I always dreamed of playing at this high level. It’s special for me and my family. It’s a big reason for us to feel proud.

“I will give everything for this club. What do I want to achieve? Trophies, trophies, trophies.”

Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund added: “We kept at it since last summer and now finally we have João Palhinha with us. He will be very valuable for FC Bayern. João is strong in tackles and very good in the air. He can give a team structure and plays consistent and very mature football. He also has great character and is a real leader. Bayern fans can look forward to João Palhinha.”

By @SeanGillen9