Manchester City will refuse to accept a fee lower than £25 million to sell Joao Cancelo, with Barcelona keen on retaining his services.
According to a report by The Sun, Joao Cancelo has returned to Manchester City after a successful loan spell with Barcelona. The Catalan giants want to keep hold of the Portuguese international beyond the summer transfer window. However, Manchester City will not sell the out-of-favour full-back for less than £25 million.
Joao Cancelo and his situation
Joao Cancelo has endured a topsy-turvy ride at Manchester City since arriving from Juventus in August 2019. The 30-year-old enjoyed large phases where he was a pivotal figure for the Citizens. However, a bust-up with Pep Guardiola soon after returning from Portugal’s campaign at the 2022 FIFA World Cup has sealed his fate.
The Portuguese international spent the second half of the 2022/23 season on loan at Bayern Munich before Barcelona snapped him up on a season-long deal last summer. Cancelo was a mainstay at the back for the Blaugrana, amassing nearly 3,500 minutes of game time across 42 appearances in all competitions, chipping in with four goals and five assists.
However, the player’s long-term future is uncertain after returning to Manchester City from Barcelona. Pep Guardiola does not want to keep the full-back in his squad, with the Premier League champions demanding around £25 million to sell him. That might be a problem for Barcelona amid the long-standing financial issues.
Where will Cancelo head off to this summer?
Barcelona will aim to keep Joao Cancelo beyond the summer transfer window, either on another loan deal or a permanent transfer. The nature of the agreement with Manchester City hinges on the financial situation in the coming weeks. In addition, it also depends on whether Barcelona can convince Manchester City to accept another temporary arrangement.
Recent reports have claimed that the Premier League champions are ready to sit down at the negotiating table with Barcelona. However, the latest update has suggested that might not be true, with Manchester City refusing to accept anything less than £25 million to sell the 30-year-old out-of-favour full-back.
Considering Manchester City’s resolve not to budge from the asking price of £25 million, Barcelona might face a tall order to secure Joao Cancelo’s services in the summer transfer window, even though he does not want to join any other club. It will be interesting to see where he plies his trade next season.
