Bayern Munich will reject the opportunity to sign Joao Cancelo from Manchester City this summer, according to reports.
Cancelo had become one of City’s key players in recent seasons, so it came as something of a surprise when he joined German champions Bayern Munich on loan at the end of the January transfer window.
The Portuguese international joined on a six-month loan deal until the end of the season, and Bayern will have the option to make the move permanent for £62m.
However, according to Calciomercarto and the Daily Mail, Bayern will pass up on the opportunity due to Cancelo struggling to fit into Julian Nagelsmann’s side. Both claim that Real Madrid and Chelsea are the most likely destinations for the full-back should he leave City permanently in the summer.
Cancelo made an encouraging start to life at Bayern, providing two assists in his first two outings.
However, the 28-year-old has started Bayern’s last four matches on the bench, including a 2-0 win against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Since the World Cup Nagelsmann has adopted a three-man defence, and there appears to be no room for Cancelo. Despite injuries to Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez, Nagelsmann has preferred to deploy 22-year-old Josip Stanisic as the right-sided centre-back.
With Kingsley Coman and Alphonso Davies the first-choice wing-backs, Cancelo has been relegated to the bench. The coach sees Cancelo as being more suited to a full-back role in a back four.
Understandably, Cancelo is believed to be growing frustrated with the situation. In January Pep Guardiola explained that the defender’s main motivation for leaving was a lack of game time.
“I wish him to do it in Germany for the next four months and then I don’t know what will happen next season,” Guardiola said.
Could Cancelo return to City?
The possibility of Cancelo returning to City and being reintegrated into Guardiola’s squad is not off the table, although he will receive no guarantees regarding game time.
Cancelo was reportedly one of a few City players who returned from the World Cup with a poor attitude, and as a result he featured little for City in January.
The emergence of youngster Rico Lewis and the return to form of Kyle Walker could pose further obstacles, although the latter’s future remains uncertain.
