In a recent tweet, journalist Javi Miguel revealed that Barcelona are set to step up their chase of Man City defender Joao Cancelo this summer. It is believed that the Catalan club are eager to secure the services of the Portuguese full-back in this off-season.
Cancelo’s Impressive Loan Spell In German Football Last Season
Cancelo enjoyed a decent loan spell at Bayern Munich last season as he was responsible for putting in a run of impressive displays on the right side of their backline. The Barreiro-born talent participated in 21 matches for the Bavarian club in the previous campaign, scoring one goal and grabbing six assists across various competitions.
The 29-year-old was a decent performer at both ends of the field based on his average of 1.5 tackles, 1.0 interceptions, 1.0 clearances, 0.8 shots, 0.9 key passes and 2.3 dribbles per game in the Bundesliga. He even distributed the ball well from the right flank based on his pass completion rate of 85.1% in the German top tier (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the German club will run out in the summer of 2027. Hence, it won’t be easy for Barca to land him on the cheap in this transfer window.
Should Barcelona Boss Xavi Go For Cancelo?
Cancelo is a good tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to secure possession back for his team inside his half. He usually clears the danger when required and can also create some decent chances for his teammates in the opponent’s half.
The Portuguese talent can strike the ball with power from long range and is proficient at making a few driving runs with the ball out on the flanks. He is primarily a right-back but can also operate as a left-back or as a right-sided wide player if asked to do so.
We can expect Cancelo to bring a lot of quality to Barcelona head coach Xavi‘s first XI. He might even help the Catalan club challenge for some major trophies over the next few years.
At 29, Cancelo is still playing in his prime and has what it takes to make an instant impact at the Nou Camp. Hence, Xavi should think about going for the Portuguese talent ahead of the new campaign.
