A claim has been made that Xavi Hernandez is personally trying to ensure that Barcelona complete a transfer for Joao Cancelo.
This comes from journalist Javi Miguel, as the £60 million (BBC Sport) man’s future remains in doubt at the Etihad Stadium.
But it seems like Barcelona could be a potential destination for Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo, especially with Xavi seemingly trying to make the move a reality.
Journalist: Barcelona manager Xavi is now trying to seal dream Joao Cancelo transfer
It has been recently reported that despite the Portuguese international showcasing flashes of brilliance during pre-season, Pep Guardiola’s mind about offloading him remains unchanged.
Branded as an ‘amazing player’ by Bernardo Silva, the silky technician reportedly had a major falling-out with the Catalan tactician, which led to his loan stint at Bayern Munich and as a result, it seems like both parties are keen on going their separate ways this summer.
Now, it has been reported that Xavi has ‘pushed’ for the signing of Joao Cancelo from Manchester City this summer.
However, financing the transfer would only be possible if exit-linked players like Franck Kessie, Sergino Dest and Clement Lenglet generated transfer fees upon leaving the Spotify Camp Nou.
Manchester City may struggle to sell Joao Cancelo
While Xavi may be desperate for the arrival of Joao Cancelo, he needs no reminding of how cash-strapped Barcelona have been in recent years.
This is not the best possible news for Manchester City as it is a challenge to find a list of suitors queuing up for his signature and ideally, the club would like to bank a fee from his sale.
Instead, the only alternative may be to send Cancelo on loan to another elite side and hope that they decide to sign him on a permanent basis in 2024, as moving him on has been harder than it seemed.
