Roberto De Zerbi has made no secret of his wish to keep Joao Palhinha at Spurs, but a fresh report indicates Tottenham have now reached a definitive decision on his future.

They say never fall in love with a loan player, but Tottenham supporters are finding that advice hard to follow when it comes to Palhinha. The Portuguese midfielder arrived on loan from Bayern Munich last summer and endured a rocky start to life in north London. Yet as the months passed, he steadily grew into one of the squad’s most influential figures and earned himself genuine cult status among the fanbase.

In a season riddled with injury, inconsistency, and near-disaster, Palhinha consistently delivered when it mattered most. Several of his goals and standout performances proved vital in helping Spurs cling onto their Premier League status on the final day.

It was therefore no surprise when De Zerbi openly stated his desire to retain the Portugal international beyond his loan spell. However, with Sporting Lisbon now pushing to bring their former midfielder back to Portugal, a significant development has emerged surrounding his future.

According to Portuguese outlet A BOLA, Tottenham have decided against triggering their €30 million (£25.4m) purchase option to sign Palhinha permanently from Bayern Munich. Spurs are now said to be effectively out of the running, clearing the path for Sporting Lisbon to open talks with the Bundesliga giants.

Interestingly, A BOLA had previously noted that Tottenham’s survival was seen as unwelcome news by Sporting, given that staying up meaningfully boosted Spurs’ prospects of keeping Palhinha. Despite that obstacle, the Lisbon club remain confident of getting a deal over the line. Formal talks with Bayern are yet to begin, but negotiations are expected to gather pace shortly. Bayern themselves appear willing to sell, with manager Vincent Kompany having made clear that Palhinha is not central to his long-term thinking despite the midfielder being contracted until 2028.

For much of the campaign, Palhinha had hinted at wanting to make his stay in north London permanent, and A BOLA acknowledge he still carries genuine warmth toward Tottenham and has not forgotten De Zerbi’s efforts to keep him. However, the same report suggests the 29-year-old is now firmly set on returning to Sporting Lisbon.

Palhinha is reportedly even prepared to take a pay cut on his current annual salary of around €9 million to make the move happen, with personal and family considerations understood to be the primary driving force — factors that have ultimately tipped the balance away from any prospect of remaining at Spurs.