Barcelona have reportedly agreed a deal with Manchester City to sign Joao Cancelo – and the Catalan giants have apparently signed off on a £30 million buy option.
The Portugal international looks like he will finally be leaving the Etihad Stadium after lots of speculation.
Cancelo has been back with the club since returning from his loan spell with Bayern Munich last season.
But Cancelo has not featured in City’s first two competitive games.
He also didn’t play in the Community Shield. He was not called u into the squad for up any of the games against Arsenal, Burnley and Newcastle United.
All the while Cancelo has not been in the City squad, there was been strong speculation that he will be moving to Barca.
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And it is now starting to look like a matter of when, not if…
Joao Cancelo set to join Barcelona, who have struck agreement for £30 million buy option
90min give their take on the story this morning, and they suggest that this move is now almost done.
Barca are closing in on a loan deal.
And supposedly, City are happy to do this. Apparently, the two clubs have also reached an agreement on a buy clause for Cancelo next summer.
That is said to be worth £30 million.
Cancelo – described in the past as ‘amazing’ by Bernardo Silva – is said to have had interest from the likes of Arsenal and Saudi Arabia.
But the chance to play regularly under Xavi at Barca has been a decisive factor.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano has also reported that a breakthrough is expected soon.
Man City clearly just Cancelo out of their hands
That this is only a loan move for Cancelo with an option to buy – not obligation – indicates that City just want Cancelo out of the picture at this point.
It is frustrating that a player Pep Guardiola clearly does not want, isn’t being sold.
Seemingly, Barcelona are not financially capable of buying Cancelo at the moment.
If this move comes to fruition, and in a year they do not trigger that buy option then that will be very frustrating indeed.
The chances are he will not be worth £30 million next summer with just one year left on his City contract.