The latest interview from the FC Barcelona President, Joao Laporta, has been making the headlines for several reasons for the last few hours. The Barcelona chief talked about several aspects related to Barcelona and football in general.
One of the aspects of this interview which has generated relatively little interest from the media was related to his comments on the continuity of two players on loan at Barcelona, i.e., Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix.
Laporta did not say much in regards to them, but shared with the media that Deco is working to keep them at the club beyond this season.
Both of these players arrived at the club last summer mainly because of Laporta, who made his bets on them, and the collaboration of his close friend and the agent of these players, Jorge Mendes, was crucial in their signing for Barcelona.
According to SPORT, of these two players, Cancelo has gathered the greater support to remain at the club even after the current loan deal. He was brought mainly to fill in for the right-back position, but he has played on the left flank as well as on the left wing too during the season.
Cancelo is yet to get back to his best after his last injury, but his quality on the pitch is beyond any doubt. He has played 24 games for the Blaugranes, scoring three goals and giving three assists, the last one being for the goal scored by Vitor Roque against Osasuna.
Deco and Mendes will have to negotiate with Manchester City for his permanent acquisition, but have the advantage that Pep Guardiola does not want him in his squad and the player himself only wants to stay at Barcelona. Barcelona will try to get him for less than €25 million.
Joao Felix, on the other hand, has not been as convincing as his compatriot, and has blown hot and cold throughout his Barcelona career. He has scored seven goals and given five assists in 28 games, but these numbers are not enough for a Barcelona forward.
Xavi relegated him to the bench at the end of the last year, and since then, he has got only one start in the league. However, the fact that Xavi will leave Barcelona at the end of the season plays in Felix’s favor, as the current head coach has lost his confidence in him.
Still, Laporta, Deco, and Mendes all want him to stay at the Catalan club, and Felix himself will also not find it easy to return to Atletico Madrid next summer.