Last summer, Barcelona had to put in a lot of effort to get Joao Cancelo, a loan player from Manchester City, during the transfer window.
The full-back was signed by the Blaugrana to a season-long loan contract without a buy-out option; the transaction was finalized late on deadline day.
When healthy and available, Cancelo is a mainstay in Xavi’s starting lineup for Barcelona, continuing his impressive performance since his arrival. He has appeared in 26 games in all competitions, contributing to four goals and scoring three.
Barcelona hopes to extend Cancelo’s contract
It is no secret that Barcelona would want to have Cancelo on board for the rest of the season.
Earlier today, rumors circulated that the Catalans would be ready to pay a transfer fee of between €15–20 million to permanently acquire the right back.
According to a new report from Gabriel Sans of Mundo Deportivo, however, Barcelona is still considering adding a buy option to another loan agreement in which they may acquire Cancelo.
According to the article, Cancelo still has a contract with Manchester City until 2027, but the club is making it plain that they do not want him back in the summer.
After the 29-year-old and manager Pep Guardiola had a falling out, he left for Bayern Munich on loan in January 2023 and then ended up at Barça last summer.
City still does not want Cancelo back, regardless of how well he performs on loan, so nothing has changed.
Advantage Barcelona?
Cancelo may find additional interest from City residents in the summer when other suitors put bids on the table, given the current state of affairs.
The 29-year-old fullback’s desire to join the Catalans and his persistence in waiting for a contract, like he did last summer, are factors that bode well for Barcelona.
This will provide the Blaugrana a leg up in discussions, and they may even be able to use it to their advantage to get another loan agreement with a buyout provision.
The discussions between Barcelona and Manchester City will be spearheaded by Jorge Mendes, Cancelo’s agent. The Portuguese representative has already begun reaching out to potential parties in an effort to reach a mutually beneficial arrangement.
