Manchester City are reportedly preparing to take Joao Cancelo on club’s pre-season tour of the United States if Barcelona fail to agree on fee for defender. Cancelo who has not featured in a competitive match for Man City for 17 months, had two loan spells away from club. The Portuguese international last played for the premier league champions in a 2-1 loss against Manchester United in January 2023.
Cancelo joined Bayern Munich on loan for remainder of season amid reports of a falling out with Man City boss Pep Guardiola. The 30-year-old spent last season on loan at Barcelona making 42 appearances in all competitions. Man City are reportedly prepared to bring Joao Cancelo on their pre-season tour in U.S. if Barcelona cannot finalize a permanent deal. The club is demanding £25 million fee from Barcelona who are keen to sign Cancelo but are reportedly struggling to agree on fee due to their financial issues.
Guardiola’s Stance on Joao Cancelo’s Future
Pep Guardiola confirmed last week that Joao Cancelo would return to squad if Barcelona fail to agree on deal. Guardiola said “It has to be the best for everyone. The two clubs will sit down. He is our player. If an agreement is not reached, he will have to return in pre-season. If he wants to stay here [at Barcelona] and the clubs agree it will be done again.”
It was widely reported that Cancelo and Guardiola were involved in heated row before his first loan exit. However, Cancelo has denied this, he stated to Mundo Deportivo, “It’s a lie that I had a fight with Guardiola, a complete lie. I didn’t feel important to the team in recent games. I spoke to the coach. He agreed. I, the coach and club decided that I had to leave. That it was the best option for me. I like new opportunities and I have nothing against City.”
Joao Cancelo, currently with Portugal squad at the European Championships in Germany still has another three years left on his City contract. This was signed back in February 2022.
