Joao Cancelo is determined to secure a permanent move to Barcelona during the summer despite interest from Chelsea, Arsenal and Bayern Munich.
The full-back joined Barca on loan on summer transfer deadline day, and has been a key player for the club ever since. Cancelo has featured 32 times for La Blaugrana, cementing his place as the club’s first choice left-back under Xavi Hernandez.
According to SPORT, Cancelo is keen to remain at the club once his current loan expires, with his agent Jorge Mendes currently trying to help facilitate talks between his parent club Man City and the La Liga giants in order to make that happen. The report states that City have been keen to get €40m for the player’s services, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Bayern Munich among the other clubs who have registered their interest.
Barca are said to have told Cancelo of their desire to keep Cancelo on the books, something which the full-back has expectedly approved of. Despite potential offers he may receive this summer from elsewhere, Cancelo remains content at Barcelona and is resolute in his desire to continue in La Liga.
Options under consideration to extend Cancelo’s stay in Catalunya include a transfer during the upcoming summer window, or a loan arrangement with a subsequent purchase option. Efforts are currently underway to navigate through Barca’s salary cap constraints, yet indications suggest that the deal could be finalised before the start of the Euros.
A return to Manchester City for the 2024/25 season seems like the full-back’s least likely next career move due to recent comments made about Pep Guardiola.
In an interview with A Bola in March, Cancelo launched a scathing attack on the manager, saying: “Lies were told! I’ve never been a bad teammate for them and you can ask either [Nathan] Ake or Rico [Lewis]. I don’t have any superiority or inferiority complex towards them, but that’s the manager’s opinion.
“I stayed because it’s not true. I think Man City were a bit ungrateful to me when they said that, because I was a very important player in the years I was there.
“I never failed in my commitment to the club, to the fans and I always gave everything. I remember a time when I was robbed and attacked and the next day I was playing at the Emirates against Arsenal.
“These are things you don’t forget, I left my wife and daughter alone at home, terrified. People will only remember this because Mr Guardiola has much more power than me when he says something and I prefer to keep to myself.”
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