As is the case in life in general, in the transfer market you don’t always get your own way.
Despite their treble success last season, Manchester City know that as well as any club. If they did always get what they wanted, then Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice would be City players by now.
The same goes for outgoings. City did not want to lose Ilkay Gundogan, but the German decided he wanted to join Barcelona. The same could happen with Kyle Walker and Bayern Munich.
Joao Cancelo is a player City do want to offload – preferably on a permanent basis – but’s it’s getting to the point where the club’s chiefs might have to compromise.
Cancelo’s position at City is near-irredeemable following his falling out with Pep Guardiola in January.
The City boss was so determined to get the full-back out of his squad that City loaned him to Bayern Munich midseason without bringing in a replacement.
They want to sell Cancelo before the new season begins in earnest, but to do so City might have to accept a bid well below their valuation.
Earlier this week Fabrizio Romano reported that Barcelona will make ‘one more try’ to sign Cancelo from City this summer.
The Spanish champions tried to sign Cancelo in January, but could not afford a loan move for the full-back, never mind a permanent one.
It seemed unlikely they would be able to find the funds this summer, but it now appears that the imminent sale of Ousmane Dembele to Paris Saint-Germain could help the situation.
Barcelona reportedly plan to use some of the fee received for Dembele to fund a move for Cancelo.
On Wednesday, talkSPORT reported that City and Barcelona are in talks over a deal.
If City reject their offer then Barca will proceed with the signing of Ivan Fresneda from Real Valladolid, with negotiations almost complete.
With potential suitors hardly queuing up to sign Cancelo, turning down Barcelona’s offer would likely result in the 29-year-old staying at City until at least January.
Given how concerned City staff were about Cancelo’s attitude last season, that could be a terrible mistake.
If City want Cancelo out, then they have to accept that they likely won’t receive the fee they want.
