LONDON (AP) — Tottenham has bolstered its midfield ahead of its return to the Champions League by signing Portugal international João Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich with an option to buy.
The defensive midfielder returns to London and the Premier League a year after leaving Fulham for a much-hyped but largely unsuccessful move to Bayern. He has three years left on his Bayern contract.
Bayern and Tottenham both confirmed the move Sunday.
Palhinha offers a similar defensive midfield option to Spurs' Rodrigo Bentancur or Yves Bissouma.
Expectations for Palhinha at Bayern were high but his time spent there had ended with the Portuguese midfielder spending most of the Club World Cup on the bench.
Palhinha was a key target for Bayern in 2023, when then-coach Thomas Tuchel wanted to shore up Bayern's midfield. Palhinha even came to Munich for a medical but Bayern's deal with Fulham collapsed at the last moment.
When Bayern finally did sign Palhinha for a reported fee of nearly 50 million euros (then $54.2 million) a year later, Vincent Kompany was the new coach.
Palhinha's season was affected by injuries or illness but, even when he was fit, Kompany often preferred youngster Aleksandar Pavlovic in the midfield instead.
Palhinha only started 10 of the 25 games he played for Bayern in all competitions and was an unused substitute in four of Bayern's five games at the Club World Cup.
It's the second time this off-season that Tottenham has signed a player who was out of favor at Bayern after making forward Mathys Tel's loan move permanent.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Bayern Munich's Joao Palhinha goes after the ball during the Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Benfica and Bayern Munich in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)
KOHALA, Hawai‘i--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--
Kuleana Rum Works, the Hawai‘i-based distillery known for its additive-free, award-winning rums, today announced the release of “An Open Letter on Additive-Free Rum,” written by Founder & CEO Steve Jefferson, addressing why rum is now facing the same scrutiny and market shift that reshaped tequila a decade ago.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107792953/en/
Consumers across spirits are demanding more honesty about how products are made. Additive-free labeling has already transformed tequila and is reshaping whiskey and RTDs. Drinkers now expect producers to protect natural flavor instead of masking it, and bartenders increasingly use transparency as a measure of quality. The letter positions rum as the next category entering this accountability cycle, as more consumers begin to question undisclosed sweeteners, flavorings and added color.
Tequila provides the clearest precedent. Producers who embraced additive-free methods helped premiumize the category, while brands relying on undisclosed additives now face growing skepticism. According to the letter, rum is approaching the same turning point. Jefferson explains that Kuleana Rum Works was founded on additive-free principles: growing heirloom Hawaiian kō (sugarcane), fermenting and distilling fresh juice at lower proof to preserve natural character, adding nothing after distillation and holding all blending partners to the same standards. Every rum — whether distilled in Hawai‘i or sourced — is verified additive-free through independent lab testing and supplier documentation.
“Consumer expectations are changing fast across spirits,” said Steve Jefferson, Founder and CEO of Kuleana Rum Works. “People want honesty in what they drink, and they’re rewarding producers who protect natural flavor rather than covering it up. Additive-free isn’t a trend — it’s becoming the standard, and rum is now facing that shift head-on.”
Additional detail in the letter underscores how production choices such as fresh juice fermentation, low-proof distillation and a strict no-additives policy create transparency and flavor integrity that align with what the market is valuing.
About Kuleana Rum Works
Founded on the island of Hawai‘i in 2013, Kuleana Rum Works crafts award-winning, additive-free rums — led by its signature Hawaiian Rum Agricole® — from fresh kō (heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane) grown on its regenerative Kohala farm. Now available in 17 states and Japan, Kuleana Rum Works champions excellence, transparency and community stewardship. Visit kuleanarum.com to learn more.
https://kuleanarum.com/additive-free/
