In the upcoming transfer window, one of the key decisions that Barcelona will have to take is about the retention of the two Portuguese stars that played on loan last season, i.e., Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo.
The Catalan club is already exploring the options for retaining one of these players, Joao Cancelo, and is already negotiating with Manchester City for him.
The player himself also wants to remain at Barcelona, and the Premier League side is willing to accommodate this, especially since they do not want him in their squad as long as Pep Guardiola is there. Guardiola’s contract with the Citizens runs until Jun 30, 2025.
But despite the willingness of all three parties to reach a mutual agreement, this operation will not be easy.
This is clear from a report from Mundo Deportivo which claims that the English club has conveyed to the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, its willingness to reach an agreement with Barcelona, but is also pressing the Catalans to agree on a full transfer, especially as they are also receiving offers from other clubs.
Manchester City had paid €65 million for Cancelo back in 2019 as he joined from Juventus in an operation that also involved Danilo going to the Italian club.
Now, he has a contract till 2027 with the English club, and the Citizens are looking to cut their losses on the player while also getting his wages off their bill as soon as possible.
Txiki Begiristain, the former Barcelona and current Manchester City Sporting Director, is already working on this operation.
But with the financial problems of the Catalan entity, it remains uncertain whether this operation will come to a fruitful conclusion despite the willingness of all the parties, Cancelo, Barcelona, and Manchester City, involved.
