According to a recent report by renowned journalist Duncan Castles (via Manchester Evening News), Manchester City won’t be able to secure the services of Juventus right-back Joao Cancelo unless they can find Danilo a new club this summer. Castles provided an update recently which stated (via Manchester Evening News),
“They (City) can’t put that [Cancelo] transfer through until they’ve found a new home for Danilo, and his performances have been so poor, his wages are so high, that that’s proving very difficult to do at this stage.
“The latest I’m hearing from the Juventus end is that Cancelo is worried he may have to stay at Juventus for another season.”
This recent development will be a bitter blow for the Portuguese defender who might have to line up for the Turin outfit at the start of next season. The Citizens need a new right-back so that they have a strong squad capable of challenging on all fronts in the upcoming campaign.
Do Man City Need To Sign Cancelo?
Cancelo has a wealth of experience in European football, and so he could be an ideal signing for Man City. The defender can help the Citizens in their quest for some European glory in the coming years. Kyle Walker has often failed to deliver when the spotlight was on him which was summed up by his underwhelming performance against Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals last season.
Danilo has struggled to live up to the high expectations at the Etihad Stadium, which is why Pep Guardiola needs a fresh face to fill the right-back berth in his first-team next season. The Serie A prospect enjoyed another successful campaign in Turin as he helped his club bag another league title in the previous term. The former Benfica starlet participated in 34 matches for the Italian outfit last season, registering one goal while creating eight assists on all fronts.
On the defensive end, the Portuguese sensation justified his worth as well when he made an average of 1.7 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per game during the 2018-19 campaign (stats via whoscored).
What Does The Portugal International Offer On The Pitch?
Cancelo is quite pacey and is capable of completing a few lung-bursting dribbles down the right flank. He can whip in some dangerous crosses into the opposition penalty box. The 25-year-old averaged 2.4 dribbles and 1.0 key passes per game in the Italian top-flight last season (stats via whoscored). He is a striker’s dream due to his ability to create chances in the opposition half.
What Should Be Pep Guardiola’s Play?
The 14-time Portuguese international will be a significant upgrade over Danilo as he would be able to offer more defensive cover at the back. Hence, Guardiola should try everything he can to cash in on Danilo and make room for Cancelo during the final few weeks of this summer transfer window.
