Joao Cancelo, a fullback for Manchester City, is reportedly ‘advancing’ in talks to join Barcelona this summer. Manager Xavi Hernandez is reportedly a big fan of the Portuguese star.
According to a report in AS today, which is also supported by Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona would sign Joao Cancelo on a “free loan” and pay his full salary despite their current financial difficulties.
Ivan Fresneda, a full-back for Real Valladolid, was reportedly a top target for the Spanish powerhouses, but not all of the decision-makers at Camp Nou were enthusiastic about the 20-year-old.
They began to focus on Cancelo as a result, who made £180,000 per week (SalarySport) and spent the previous season on loan at Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich.
Joao Cancelo transfer talks are ongoing between Manchester City and Barcelona.
The ‘tense’ relationship between Xavi Hernandez and City manager Pep Guardiola, according to the same report from Spanish outlet AS, may make the acquisition of Cancelo more difficult.
The president of Barcelona, Joan Laporta, is said to get along well with City’s decision-makers, so he would be expected to play a “key role” in the talks.
AS also claims that the parties’ negotiations are progressing, but it’s still unclear whether City would approve another loan for the 29-year-old after his January loan to Bayern.
Relationship between Guardiola and Cancelo has reportedly been tense since last season, with The Athletic reporting in January that Cancelo’s World Cup failures and subsequent unruly behaviour caused problems at City.
Cancelo is still a top-tier player despite his difficulties over the past 12 months. In his final full season in England in 2022/2023, the fullback had one goal and seven assists. He is still a player any of the major European clubs can use as a weapon.
If Barcelona could complete the loan agreement, it would be a triumph for the Blaugrana, who must make wise financial decisions given their precarious financial situation.
