Wayne Lumbasi
Portuguese defender Joao Cancelo is all set to join Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich from Manchester City on loan. Cancelo’s loan deal includes a buy option of $76.3m.
The 28-year-old has spent three and a half years at the Etihad after joining from Juventus in 2019. Cancelo is now eager to leave to get first-team football after losing his place since the World Cup.
The reigning Premier League champions are willing to let him go because he has become a disruptive presence in the dressing room. The Portugal star has been vocal because of his lack of playing time in recent weeks.
His relationship with coach Guardiola has been getting worse since the World Cup as the two have had some tense discussions due to the 28-year-old’s unhappiness.
The Portugal international has only started three of City’s 10 games since the World Cup and has not featured since the Manchester derby defeat.
City’s shift in tactics, plus the emergence of teenager Rico Lewis, the ability of Nathan Ake to play left-back and the fact manager Pep Guardiola has five central defenders in his squad means they believe they have enough cover to cope without him for the rest of the season.
