Arsenal Pursue Surprise Transfer for Manchester City Outcast Amidst Guardiola Fallout
In a surprising turn of events, Arsenal is reportedly eyeing a potential transfer move for Manchester City outcast Joao Cancelo. The Gunners are ready to pounce if Barcelona fails to turn Cancelo’s loan move into a permanent one. Despite having three years left on his Manchester City contract, Cancelo has not been at the Etihad for the past 14 months after a fall-out with manager Pep Guardiola.
Cancelo, currently on loan at Barcelona, has been a regular for the Spanish side. However, Barcelona is hesitant to pay the hefty £40 million asking price to sign him permanently. This has caught the attention of Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who is familiar with Cancelo from his time as Guardiola’s assistant. Arteta sees Cancelo’s ability to play on either flank as a huge advantage, especially as he is in the market for a top-level left-back. Cancelo also showcased his versatility by impressing in midfield during his time at City.
While Cancelo has expressed his preference to stay at Barcelona, the club is reluctant to go beyond another loan fee to extend his stay for another year. Cancelo previously spent six months on loan at Bayern Munich, but the German giants also deemed the asking price too high. Manchester City is eager to offload the Portuguese international rather than see his value drop over time.
Arteta has a history of raiding Manchester City for talented players, having previously signed Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus. Although Cancelo may desire to stay at Barcelona, the opportunity to reunite with Arteta in the summer could be tempting. Cancelo enjoyed a successful spell at Manchester City, making 154 appearances and contributing nine goals and 22 assists. He won three Premier League titles and the Carabao Cup during his time at the Etihad before moving to Barcelona, where he clinched the LaLiga title last year.
This season, Cancelo has been a key figure for Barcelona, featuring in 32 games across all competitions and starting 22 of their 29 league matches. His consistent performances have drawn attention from Arsenal, who are looking to bolster their squad for future success.
As the transfer window approaches, it remains to be seen whether Arsenal can secure the services of Joao Cancelo. However, with their pursuit of the Manchester City outcast, the Gunners are showing their ambition to strengthen their squad and compete at the highest level.