According to a recent report by Spanish news outlet Sport, Premier League giants Manchester City have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Barcelona’s Portuguese international full-back Nelson Semedo, after the former Benfica man went on to freeze all contract negotiations with the Catalan club. The report suggests that the 26-year-old’s current tenure at the Nou Camp is until the end of the 2022 season.
The report suggests that Barcelona initially wanted to tie the speedster down to a four-year deal. Although the Blaugrana are even said to have warned the player that he could be sold if the deal was not agreed, the player and his agent – Jorge Mendes, stood their ground. Mendes is also said to have informed the Catalan side that his client would start looking at alternatives if not given a regular place in the first-team. Barcelona are said to eyeing up City ace Joao Cancelo is a potential exchange deal, but are claimed to believe that Semedo is worth more than Cancelo.
How Has Cancelo Performed Since Moving To Manchester?
Joao Cancelo arrived at the Etihad Stadium as a replacement for Danilo, who went in the opposite direction as a part of the deal. Since the switch to the blue side of Manchester last summer, the 25-year-old has featured in just 11 league outings, while most of his appearances for the reigning Premier League champions have come in the cup competitions. Yet to provide a meaningful contribution in the league as well, it’s perhaps not overly surprising that Guardiola has used the former Juventus man only sparingly.
A good dribbler of the ball in the wide areas, Cancelo was renowned for his ability to bombard down the flanks and play quality balls into the box. However, things haven’t gone quite to plan. Despite being given ample opportunities across various tournaments, the Portuguese international has failed to capture Guardiola’s imagination and continues to cut a frustrating figure on the pitch.
Should Guardiola Look To Take Advantage Of Semedo’s Contract Situation?
One thing that can be said without hesitation is that Joao Cancelo has been a Manchester City flop. Although the player he replaced – Danilo – didn’t do a much better job, there is a certain level of quality that’s required to play for a team like City. Cancelo just doesn’t seem to make the cut, and the Citizens would do well to try and offload him in the summer anyway.
With the possibility of acquiring Nelson Semedo in exchange for the former Valencia man now on the table, Pep Guardiola needn’t think twice about making a move. Semedo offers a much more dangerous threat while attacking as he’s both quicker and trickier than his national team compatriot.
Moreover, the fact that Semedo has spent the last three years at a mammoth club like Barcelona is a fantastic experience that would bring the best out of anyone. The defence was one of the Citizens’ most significant concerns this year, and although there are still some other areas that need to be addressed, acquiring Semedo would surely be a step in the right direction.
