Arsenal has received a significant boost in their pursuit of Manchester City‘s Joao Cancelo. The Portuguese international, who spent the last six months on loan at Bayern Munich, is set to return to Manchester City as the German champions have chosen not to activate the £60.7 million buy option in his contract. However, City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, seems uninterested in retaining Cancelo for the upcoming season, opening the door for Arsenal to make their move.
Cancelo, an inverted full-back, would be an excellent fit for Mikel Arteta‘s tactical setup at Arsenal. Arteta’s strategy heavily relies on a full-back drifting inside and creating a possession overload in midfield, a role that Cancelo could fulfill effectively.
Related Articles:
- Arsenal in Pole Position to Acquire Speedy Midfielder Declan Rice
- Bukayo Saka: Arsenal’s Rising Star Secures His Future
- Arsenal Eye Move for Galatasaray Defender Sacha Boey
A Potential Bargain for Arsenal
Despite the hefty buy option in Cancelo’s loan contract, Manchester City has reportedly halved the asking price for the full-back. According to Spanish outlet Sport, Guardiola is willing to let Cancelo go for a fee of €40m (£34.7m). This reduced price could make the Portuguese international a potential bargain for Arsenal.
However, Arsenal is not the only club interested in Cancelo. Barcelona is also keen on signing the full-back, but their financial fair play (FFP) issues could hinder their ability to secure the deal.
Guardiola’s Stance on Arsenal
Despite the potential competition from Barcelona, Arsenal’s chances of signing Cancelo seem promising. Guardiola’s stance on selling players to Arsenal appears unchanged, even after Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko moved from Manchester City to Arsenal last summer. Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio shared his insights on Guardiola’s thoughts surrounding Cancelo’s potential move: “I don’t think Guardiola is a coach who’ll say no, you don’t have to go there – because he’s superior. He thinks he’s superior in every dynamic situation in football.”
Arsenal’s pursuit of Joao Cancelo could prove to be a game-changer for the club. With Guardiola’s green light and a reduced asking price, the Gunners could be on the verge of securing a significant addition to their squad. However, the final decision rests with Cancelo, and it remains to be seen where the Portuguese international will choose to play next season.