Barcelona are focusing on signing Manchester City’s João in the next window, according to Sport.
The La Liga side looked at the defender in January before the Citizens let him join Bayern Munich on a loan deal with an option to buy.
Bayern are unlikely to exercise the buying option, meaning he’ll have to return to Manchester City, where the 28-year-old is no longer included in Pep Guardiola’s plans.
Xavi Hernández is clear that he needs a new fullback next season and the Catalan club’s idea is to carry out a low-cost operation. They have set their focus on signing Cancelo on a loan deal.
The Portugal international’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has ‘committed’ to Barca to work on a loan operation, while also stressing to them that Manchester City are looking for a sale.
Cancelo arouses a lot of interest but the €50m fee requested by the English champions makes it difficult for him to leave. Real Madrid are looking at the Manchester City man, but he’s not their main target.
Sport state Barca could now ‘remain as the only option’ for the ex-Valencia man. Since Guardiola no longer wants to have Cancelo at the Etihad, Mendes is clear that time is Barca’s best ally’.
Cancelo must take a pay cut to arrive at the Camp Nou, which he seems to be willing to do since his desire is to return to La Liga.
Barca ‘advance the arrival’ of Cancelo, but Sport add this operation would be delayed until the end of the summer window. The newspaper warns anything could happen before then.
