Image via @FabrizioRomano Twitter
In an unexpected move this late in the transfer season, Manchester City has decided to loan Joao Cancelo to Bayern Munich with the option to purchase the player for £61.5 million.
The Pep Guardiola team has lost faith in the Portugal international, who has not started in any of their last three games.
Bayern admires the full-back and believes he could be the solution to their inconsistent domestic play this season.
Cancelo played 36 appearances last season as City comfortably won the title, and he was named to the last two PFA Premier League Teams of the Year.
Cancelo has dropped down the pecking order under Guardiola, with academy product Rico Lewis being favored ahead of Nathan Ake, John Stones, Kyle Walker, and the versatile full-back who can play on either the right or left side of the defense as well as in midfield.
Since the World Cup, Cancelo’s continuous absence from the starting lineup has drawn criticism, particularly after Guardiola implied that certain players’ poor body language was the cause of their benching.
‘Every time it is difficult to choose the team for me — always top players are not playing,’ Guardiola said earlier this month. ‘Lately, as I get older, I mainly look at the body language. In the training sessions and everything. You cannot play good when the body language is not correct.
FC Bayern are closing in on deal to sign João Cancelo from Manchester City on loan, as first called by @David_Ornstein — agreement at final stages between the two clubs! 🚨🔴 #FCBayern
Manchester City are prepared to let Cancelo leave as player has already accepted Bayern. pic.twitter.com/hWT2OrxoSK
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 30, 2023