Man City defender will ‘not play for club ever again’ for he ‘betraying’ Pep Guardiola
According to reports, Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo will “never play for the club again” after being accused of “betraying” head coach Pep Guardiola.
The Portugal international has established himself as one of the best fullbacks in the Premier League over the past few seasons with Manchester City.
After the World Cup, he fell down the pecking order and was an unused substitute for a few league games prior to his loan move to Bayern Munich.
It is believed that the Bundesliga club has the option to sign Cancelo permanently in the summer for a fee of approximately £61 million.
Cancelo’s departure was precipitated by rumors that he had a “violent altercation” with Guardiola. This reportedly occurred after he did not start in the FA Cup match against Arsenal.
Cancelo is no longer expected to play for Manchester City after completing a shock loan-to-buy transfer to Bayern Munich, according to Football Insider.
It has been reported that the defender’s relationship with Guardiola and his coaching staff has “deteriorated” and that “issues have been brewing in the background.”
According to the report, “none of the parties involved anticipate that he will return to his parent club this summer or play for them again.”
According to a separate report from AS (via Sport Witness), “something significant” occurred at Man City that led to the completion of the loan transfer.
Cancelo’s departure was reportedly “striking” and “almost personal” after Guardiola helped him become the “best fullback in the world.”
Cancelo is accused of being “extremely ungrateful” and “betraying his mentor” in the weeks preceding his departure from Manchester City.
Guardiola refused to say anything negative about Cancelo at his press conference last week.
“He has been an incredible figure in the last two Premier Leagues we won but after the World Cup we made a ‘pre-season’ and started to play in a different way in some patterns,” Guardiola told reporters.
“I liked what I watched and I decided to give more time to players who I saw on the pitch who liked it.
“He is one of the players who trains the best but in this situation he didn’t play much in the last two or three games.
“We cannot say he didn’t play much (at all) because in the last years he was one of the players with the most minutes by far, (but) he is a guy who needs to play to be happy and we decided together, all three parties, to let him go to Munich.
“Bayern Munich wanted him because he’s beyond an exceptional player. I won’t say one bad word about him.
“I think his work ethic, love for football, passion, his quality and skills… what can I say? Everyone knows it.”
Man City defender will ‘not play for club ever again’ for he ‘betraying’ Pep Guardiola