Alternative Summer Destination Emerges as Manchester City Face Barcelona and Joao Cancelo Transfer Setback

Manchester City may reject the demands of Barcelona and Joao Cancelo in favor of a potential permanent move to Saudi Arabia for the player.

The 29-year-old shockingly left the Etihad Stadium in January 2023 amid rumors of a training ground altercation. He went on to have loan spells at Bayern Munich and Barcelona after departing Manchester City.

Cancelo initially joined Bayern Munich on a short-term deal for the remainder of the 2022/23 season before moving to Barcelona on a season-long loan for the current campaign.

The full-back had signed a long-term deal with Manchester City until 2027, but the club is now looking to recoup the £60 million transfer fee paid to Juventus in 2019 for the Portuguese international.

Cancelo, who played 154 games and won two Premier League titles with Manchester City, had made 23 appearances for the team before moving to Bayern Munich following an incident in January 2023.

He has featured in 25 La Liga games and 8 UEFA Champions League matches for Barcelona this season, with the club interested in extending his loan deal.

Despite Barcelona’s financial troubles, Manchester City is keen on selling Cancelo this summer instead of extending the loan agreement, with interest from the Saudi Pro League and Arsenal.

Reports suggest that Manchester City is prioritizing the permanent sale of Cancelo this summer, with strong interest from the Saudi Pro League’s Al-Hilal who may offer a deal that Barcelona cannot match.

Cancelo is the third Manchester City player linked with a move to the Middle East, following speculation around Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne. Last year, Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte moved to the Saudi Pro League after winning the treble.