Joao Cancelo set for Man City departure.
Details have emerged of a number of incidents which soured the relationship between Joao Cancelo and Manchester City in recent weeks.
The Portuguese full-back is set to join Bayern Munich on loan for the rest of the season, with the German club having an option to buy the 28-year-old in the summer.
Joao Cancelo mood sours at Man City.
Cancelo, who has twice been named in the PFA Team of the Year, has been in and out of the Man City team in recent weeks, and a report in The Athletic claims that this hasn’t gone down well.
The publication points to a pattern of behaviour since he returned from the World Cup “in a funk,” due to not playing as much as he would have liked for Portugal at the tournament in Qatar.
Left out of the team.
Cancelo was withdrawn at half-time in his first game back for Man City, a 1-0 Premier League victory at home to Chelsea.
He then started an FA Cup tie against the same opposition on the bench, before playing every minute as City lost back-to-back games – in the Carabao Cup to Southampton, and in the Premier League to Manchester United.
None of this did anything to improve his mood, and at this point Cancelo’s “poor body language” around training was starting to cause concern.
It is reported that the emergence of 18-year-old defender Rico Lewis, and the form of Nathan Ake, further upset Cancelo, with both players being picked regularly ahead of him.
Wolves and Arsenal.
Cancelo was left on the bench again for the 4-2 comeback victory over Tottenham Hotspur, and when he was named as a sub again for a 3-0 win over Wolves, things began to come to a head.
He reportedly went straight to the bench after arriving at the Etihad Stadium and sat by himself, before staff noticed that he “did not pay attention in the tactical meetings” ahead of Friday’s FA Cup win over Arsenal.
It was at this point that City boss Pep Guardiola had enough and decided that Cancelo’s attitude was affecting the group.
Bayern swoop.
Bayern have been happy to swoop in and take what is a hugely-talented player off City’s hands, and judging by the reports, the move might be best for all parties.
Cancelo was arguably Guardiola’s most important player as the club won the Premier League last season, developing from an attacking full-back into an all-round playmaker further up the pitch.
However, as the manager has proven before, he will have no problem in letting a player go if he feels they are holding back the group.