It is no secret that Barcelona are looking for a new right-back in the market in the current summer transfer window. At the same time, it is also well-established that Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo is a player that the club have looked at as a target.
However, recent reports suggested that the La Liga champions had practically ruled out the signing of the Portuguese international due to the costs involved, even for a loan deal. Instead, it was claimed that new director Deco was looking for younger alternatives.
But, now, Fabrizio Romano (via The Residency) has claimed that Cancelo continues to remain an option for Barcelona to reinforce the right-back slot.
The 29-year-old defender has fallen out of favour at the Etihad Stadium following a rift with manager Pep Guardiola. He was shipped out on loan to Bayern Munich in January and the Bavarians opted not to make his signing permanent for €70 million this summer.
Interestingly, Barcelona were also keen on roping in Cancelo in January. But Xavi stated that Manchester City blocked the move, a claim that has since been refuted by Guardiola.
Either way, the Catalans still continue to hold an interest in the former Valencia and Juventus ace and despite reports suggesting that his signing has been ruled out, they still see him as an option on the table.
There is no way that Barcelona can sign Cancelo on a permanent deal this summer given their financial situation. Their best bet would be to bring him on loan and they could leverage their good relationship with his agent, Jorge Mendes, to facilitate the operation.
Even so, the Portuguese international would have to accept a significant wage cut if he wishes to play for Xavi’s Barça. As things stand, Cancelo remains an option and is not entirely ruled out. But the transfer remains complicated to pull off.
