‘Good on the ball’ – Harry Kane picks out a Tottenham player for praise

‘Good on the ball’ – Harry Kane picks out a Tottenham player for praise

Tottenham Suffer Pre-Season Setback Against Bayern Munich

Tottenham Hotspur’s preparations for the upcoming season hit a stumbling block on Thursday evening, as they were comfortably beaten 4-0 by Bayern Munich in Germany.

The match gave Spurs supporters a bittersweet moment as they watched former star Harry Kane face his old club. Kane found the net and also missed a penalty in a dominant display from the German champions.

Despite lingering hopes among fans of a possible Kane return to North London, the England captain now shares the pitch with several players who’ve moved from Bayern to Tottenham in recent months.

Kane Praises Palhinha Following Spurs Switch

After the final whistle at the Allianz Arena, Kane highlighted the impact of one of Spurs’ newest recruits—Joao Palhinha. The Portuguese midfielder joined Tottenham on a season-long loan from Bayern earlier this summer.

Palhinha, who previously impressed in the Premier League with Fulham, is expected to bring both tenacity and quality to Tottenham’s midfield—a department that struggled with consistency last season.

Kane, who played alongside Palhinha during Bayern’s Bundesliga-winning campaign, had nothing but praise for the 29-year-old.

“He’s tough, he tackles hard, he’s good on the ball, and he knows the Premier League well from his time at Fulham,” Kane told Tottenham’s official website. “He’s someone who gives everything, and I know he’ll be going into a good environment. Hopefully he gets more minutes and can really show what he’s capable of.”

Palhinha Could Be Key to Spurs’ Midfield Revamp

Last season, Tottenham often lacked cohesion and defensive cover in central midfield. Both Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur had spells as the deepest midfielder, but neither fully solved the problem.

Bissouma, though technically adept, was prone to costly errors and moments of poor decision-making under pressure. Bentancur, while intelligent and composed, struggled to recapture his full intensity after returning from injury.

Palhinha offers a different profile—he’s a ball-winner who can control the tempo and bring steel to the midfield.

His ability to break up play and protect the backline could be exactly what manager Thomas Frank needs to restore balance in the middle of the park.

If Spurs can keep Palhinha fit and integrate him effectively, he could become the foundation of a much-improved midfield unit for the 2025–26 season.