Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo is reportedly set to join Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on loan for the rest of the season.
According to a report by The Athletic, Joao Cancelo seems to have played his final game for Manchester City. The Portuguese international is on the verge of joining Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga champions will sign him on loan for the rest of the season while having the option to sign him permanently in the summer.
Joao Cancelo has come leaps and bounds since joining Manchester City from Juventus. The deal, completed in August 2019, saw Danilo move the other way. And Cancelo has been a regular for Manchester City in the last three and a half years.
The 28-year-old has turned out over 150 times thus far for Manchester City, chipping in with nine goals and 22 assists. But Cancelo’s stature has dropped since the end of the World Cup, with Pep Guardiola using him sparingly. And the Portuguese international seems to have played his final game for Manchester City, with Bayern Munich being his next destination.
Several high-profile clubs, including Barcelona and Real Madrid, have shown interest in the player. Recent reports made even dubious claims, suggesting Manchester City could use Cancelo in a deal to sign Rafael Leao. But the former Juventus defender is now on the verge of joining Bayern Munich.
Bayern have decided to proceed with surprising Cancelo deal as Mazraoui is injuried and Pavard could leave in the summer as Barcelona are keen on signing him. 🚨🔴🇵🇹 #Cancelo
Bayern, set to schedule medical tests if all goes to plan in the next 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/su8qo0BdMw
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 30, 2023
The interest from the Bundesliga champions is intriguing, considering they signed Noussair Mazraoui in the summer. But the Moroccan international has contracted a heart issue following a bout with COVID-19. In addition, Benjamin Pavard faces an uncertain future at Bayern Munich.
The French international is a target for Barcelona and might leave Bayern Munich in the summer. So signing Cancelo permanently from Manchester City in July could be on the cards. As for the ongoing transfer window, the 28-year-old will likely arrive at the Allianz Arena on loan for the rest of the season.
The report claims the Bundesliga champions are long-term admirers of the Portuguese defender. And Bayern Munich will have the option to sign Cancelo permanently from Manchester City. It will be interesting to see if the player embarks on a successful stint in Germany, with his Manchester City stint ending this month.
