Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has reportedly made a firm decision regarding Joao Cancelo’s future at the club, indicating that the defender will not be staying beyond this summer. The 29-year-old played a crucial role in Guardiola’s team during their title-winning season in 2021-22 and was prominently featured in the first half of their successful treble-winning campaign in 2022-23.
However, a falling out between Cancelo and Guardiola during the middle of the season led to a surprising loan move to Bayern Munich in the January transfer window. Cancelo spent the second half of the season in Germany, contributing to Thomas Tuchel’s side’s triumph in the Bundesliga. Despite his contributions, Bayern Munich has chosen not to make the loan move permanent.
Consequently, Cancelo is still expected to depart from the Etihad Stadium on a permanent basis this summer. The Athletic has reported that Guardiola has made a final decision to transfer list the defender. As per the report, Guardiola has no intentions of including Cancelo in the squad for their pre-season tour of Japan and is hopeful of finding a new club for him before they depart.
Both Arsenal and Barcelona have shown interest in the Portuguese international, with Cancelo likely to be available at a reduced price. His performances during the 2021-22 season were remarkable, as he only missed two league games and made a total of 52 appearances across all competitions, establishing himself as one of the most highly-regarded full-backs in the world of football.
Since joining Manchester City in 2019 for a record fee paid for a right-back, Cancelo has made 154 appearances for the club. In that time, he has achieved significant success, winning three Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup, and the EFL Cup.
Guardiola’s decision to part ways with Cancelo marks the end of an era for the defender at Manchester City. As the club embarks on a new season, it remains to be seen where Cancelo will find his next footballing home and how his departure will impact the team’s defensive setup.