Joao Cancelo’s future at Manchester City appears uncertain as reports indicate that he is unlikely to be reintegrated into the first team for the upcoming season.
Several top clubs in Europe have expressed interest in signing the Portugal international, according to reports.
In a surprising move, Cancelo was loaned out to Bayern Munich for the second half of the 2022/23 season. However, his return to the Etihad Stadium was met with jeers from City fans when he made a substitute appearance during Bayern’s Champions League quarter-final defeat in April.
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Initially struggling to secure a regular place under Julian Nagelsmann at Bayern, Cancelo has since become more involved in Thomas Tuchel’s plans. Bayern have an option to purchase Cancelo for €70 million once his loan expires this summer, but they have publicly deemed the price tag too high, although they would like to retain the versatile full-back.
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Alongside Bayern, other prominent clubs across Europe have shown interest in Cancelo. Barcelona has been closely monitoring his situation and would consider entering the race for his signature if they could secure an initial loan deal. Arsenal, where Mikel Arteta previously worked with Cancelo at City, also have a keen interest in acquiring the player, believing he would fit well into their tactical setup.
Real Madrid, in need of a right-back option beyond Dani Carvajal, is another potential destination being explored by Cancelo’s camp.
Cancelo joined Manchester City in 2019 from Juventus, in a deal that saw Danilo move in the opposite direction. The transfer made him the most expensive right-back in history at the time. Initially facing competition from Kyle Walker, Cancelo played a rotational role before showcasing his versatility by becoming a regular at left-back.
He played a crucial part in City’s back-to-back Premier League title victories in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons.
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