Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hinted that defender Joao Cancelo might return to FC Barcelona for the 2024-2025 season.
Cancelo, who joined Manchester City from Juventus for €65 million in August 2019, has struggled to cement his place in Guardiola’s squad. The 30-year-old Portuguese left-back spent the latter half of the 2022-2023 season on loan at Bayern Munich before moving to Barcelona on loan for the 2023-2024 season.
During his time with Barcelona, Cancelo made a significant impact, playing 42 games across all competitions, scoring four goals, and providing five assists. His performance has made him a valuable asset for the Spanish club, which is keen on keeping him beyond this summer.
Guardiola addressed the situation, saying, “It has to be the best for everyone. The two clubs will sit down and discuss. He is our player, and if an agreement is not reached, he will return for pre-season. If he wants to stay at Barcelona and the clubs agree, it will be done again.”
Cancelo’s current contract with Manchester City runs until June 30, 2027, leaving room for negotiations between the clubs to potentially extend his stay at Barcelona.
