FC Barcelona News
Barcelona researched the possibility of including a new deal to strengthen the right-back position during the previous winter transfer period. The name of Joao Cancelo generated a consensus in the sports administration, and the club had already reached an agreement with Manchester City, through Matteo Alemani and Txiki Begiristain, to loan the Portuguese, but Pep Guardiola prevented this.
Aware that the relationship between Joao Cancelo and Pep Guardiola had broken down – after the player was furious at being benched after the World Cup – Barcelona saw the opportunity to make this deal to raise the squad’s level.
Bellerin’s departure has left the team since January without a full-fledged right-back. Of course, with Conde in that position, plus options for Sergi Roberto, Araujo and even Alejandro Balde.
The financial crisis that the Catalan entity is going through prevented them from making a purchase, but they looked into the possibility of bringing Cancelo on loan. His arrival had all hurdles cleared by Barcelona, but in the end Manchester City coach, Pep Guardiola, objected that he could wear the Catalans’ shirt.
With Barcelona ruled out as an option, just as it was pointless for the player to continue at the Etihad Stadium, Cancelo ended up signing with Bayern Munich on loan until the end of the season. However, Barcelona are not resigned to achieving his signature in the summer, but are increasingly suspicious of the possibility, given Guardiola’s reluctance.
This is not the first time that Guardiola has prevented a Manchester City player from joining FC Barcelona. In the winter of 2022, he objected to Raheem Sterling’s arrival at the Camp Nou to strengthen the team’s attacking line. Of course, he ended up greenlighting a Ferran Torres transfer, for €55m.
On the other hand, two more players packed their bags from Manchester to Barcelona: Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia. Both of them, yes, signed with the Blaugrana entity as free agents and without cost, because their contractual relations with the English club had expired.
Source: Sport
