According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City star Joao Cancelo is set to leave the club in the coming months. The Portugal international was an essential part of City’s defense. He decided to leave on a six-month loan to Bayern Munich earlier this year to increase his playing time. Cancelo’s loan move surprised many, considering his significant contributions and high appearance rate for the club, especially as a left-back. Cancelo is now certain to leave the club this summer since both the player and the team have made their intentions known.
Finding a Solution and Barcelona’s Interest
Bayern Munich is not likely to try to sign the player on a long-term deal. Manchester City is actively seeking the best solution for Cancelo’s departure, while also looking to extend Kyle Walker’s contract.
Barcelona seems to be the team most interested in the player, as per reports. But any prospective deal would depend on Barcelona’s ability to manage its finances and adhere to Financial Fair Play rules. The manager of Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, acknowledged that Barcelona had not yet made any offers for Cancelo.
Manchester City’s defensive plans and options for the future
Manchester City is unlikely to actively seek a direct replacement for Cancelo during this summer’s transfer window. Instead, the focus remains on other areas of the squad. The team is confident that they have several options for the full-back position, including the bright young talent Rico Lewis, who made an impression the season before and is anticipated to see more action this time around.
Lewis, a versatile defender, frequently plays as a defensive midfielder. Kyle Walker and Lewis both have John Stones and Manuel Akanji as potential backups, in the opinion of Manchester City.
This provides the team with defensive depth and flexibility. Furthermore, Walker himself can provide support at left-back when needed, adding further versatility to the squad.
