Man City’s star Joao Cancelo rejected by his preferred club of choice as Fabrizio Romano reveals January transfer truths
Fabrizio Romano, a transfer insider, has revealed that Real Madrid had the opportunity to sign Joao Cancelo in January, but turned him down in order to maintain the same roster.
Cancelo’s departure from Manchester City came out of the blue. Indeed, he had been a mainstay in City’s lineup for the majority of the season, as he had been the year before.
Last season, the fullback missed only two Premier League games when available. Pep Guardiola appears to have left him off the roster for three of the last five league contests this season.
He was loaned out until the end of the season in what seemed like the blink of an eye at the end of the January transfer window, when Bayern Munich’s pursuit was reported and he was gone.
The fact that he had been benched for a few games and then desired to leave appeared to go hand in hand. Indeed, it would not be surprising if a player of his caliber was dissatisfied with his exclusion.
Recent comments made by Guardiola regarding his departure seem to confirm this.
In fact, the Spanish manager stated during a press conference that Cancelo “wants to play in every game.”
He added that the fullback must play in order to be satisfied. Therefore, it would have been difficult for him to sit on the bench for the entirety of the games against Everton, Tottenham, and Wolves.
Cancelo joined Bayern on loan, with the German club now having the option to purchase the Portugal international, but Bayern were not the only club that could have signed him.
According to Romano, two Spanish clubs were also given the opportunity to sign him.
“Barcelona was almost impossible because of the salary of the player,” he said on his YouTube channel.
“Real Madrid was also an option, but they decided not to sign any players in January.”
Cancelo’s rejection by Real is a kick in the teeth. Indeed, he played in La Liga for three seasons with Valencia, so he is familiar with the league.
Consequently, he could have returned with a solid understanding of the style, but with the advantage of playing for one of the league’s top teams.
The rejection of Real is also disappointing for another reason. In fact, the Bernabeu club is second in the league, and instead of signing the fullback for free for a period, they decided against the transfer.
This indicates that they believe their chances of surpassing Barcelona, who are currently five points ahead, are greater without Cancelo.
Still, moving to Bayern is a pretty good deal for him. He joins a team that consistently dominates their league and won their Champions League group, giving them a favorable draw and a good chance of advancing in the tournament.
Moreover, he has already made an impact, registering an assist in his debut game, a 4-0 DFB Pokal victory.
Man City’s star Joao Cancelo rejected by his preferred club of choice as Fabrizio Romano reveals January transfer truths
