Manchester City right-back Joao Cancelo is on his way to Bayern Munich on loan after having a fallout with manager Pep Guardiola. The issues between Cancelo and Guardiola are cropping up because of the Portuguese’s game time.
“The situation between Guardiola and Joao Cancelo was not easy,” Fabrizio Romano explained to Caught Offside.
“The Portuguese wanted to play more, that was the problem; Guardiola decided to let him leave instead of having a player creating internal issues.
“Bayern have been perfect in the strategy, keeping it quiet until the end.”
Bayern have completed the agreement to sign João Cancelo, here we go! Deal set to be completed on loan plus €70m buy option clause 🚨🔴 #FCBayern
Cancelo told Pep Guardiola that he wanted to leave.
Medical tests later tonight.
Boarding completed – Munich ✈️ @TurkishAirlines pic.twitter.com/TiQMyMWhwq
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 30, 2023
According to reports, Cancelo had become a “disruptive” figure in the dressing room because he was unhappy. Guardiola felt that it is better to let him leave rather than keep an unhappy player around.
Cancelo has been vocal about his lack of game time in recent weeks. He has started only thrice since the FIFA World Cup 2022 break got over. Nathan Ake has been filling in for him and he has been doing well. He even scored the winner against Arsenal in City’s 1-0 win in the FA Cup tie.
What led to the tipping point in the fallout between Joao Cancelo and Pep Guardiola?
The 28-year-old Portugal international threatened to leave the club after he reacted violently when he learned that he was left out of the starting XI against Arsenal. The severity of the situation was high enough for City to give Cancelo the green light to depart. He brought a loan offer from Bayern to the table and with the relationship between player and manager beyond repair, it was best for both parties to go ahead with it.
The Bundesliga club also has the option to sign him for around $73 million at the end of the season. City is now seeking a replacement on the deadline day of the winter transfer window. Losing a key squad member was not ideal at this point. However, according to Daily Mail, club insiders have disclosed they were left with little option.
🚨 Barcelona are monitoring the situations of FIVE Man City players who they believe are ‘unhappy’ with Pep Guardiola
👀 Kyle Walker, Joao Cancelo, Aymeric Laporte, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva the five names mentioned
(@elchiringuitotv) 🌗#ManCity #Barcelona #PL
— Gabriel (@Doozy_45) January 25, 2023
If Spanish journalist Jose Alvarez was correct, this is just the first exit of many more to come at City. Speaking on El Chiringuito TV (via Sport Witness), Alvarez claimed five players are “unhappy with Guardiola”. The five players he mentioned were Joao Cancelo, Ilkay Gundogan, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte, and Bernardo Silva.
Alvarez believes there will be “a major exit operation because there is a lot of wear and tear among the heavyweights in the dressing room.”
One of the five, Cancelo, is now already on his way out. With a buy option included in his loan deal, he probably will not play for City again.
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