Barcelona one step away from signing Manchester City right-back Joao Cancelo

According to a breaking report from Gianluigi Longari, Barcelona target Joao Cancelo is now just one step away from signing for the Catalan giants. The move is now closer than ever.

Barcelona and Manchester City are just one step away from reaching an agreement. All that stands in their way is the margin of Financial Fair Play on the Blaugranas’ end which is expected to be sorted soon.

An emergency at right-back

Xavi Hernandez has made it clear through preseason and the league opener against Getafe that he sees Jules Kounde as a starting centre-back this season alongside Andreas Christensen.

It has been Barcelona’s priority to sign a right-back for a while now, and the manager thus opted to start Ronald Araujo in the position instead.

However, he is now faced with an acute crisis. Barcelona revealed on Thursday that their Uruguayan superstar had sustained a thigh injury, ruling him out of action for at least a month.

Tha manager is thus faced with an acute shortage of staff in defence. Eric Garcia may start at centre-back against Cadiz with Kounde playing at right-back, but it is clear that Xavi does not fancy the altered dynamics.

The need for a right-back is thus now more significant than ever. Joao Cancelo’s arrival would enable Xavi to deploy a more formidable defensive line and cover Araujo’s injury better.

Barcelona’s latest offer

According to reports earlier today, Barça sent their latest proposal for Cancelo recently and it appears to have satisfied the authorities in England.

Their offer is said to have included a loan move with a purchase option worth €30 million, albeit not directly mandatory.

Fabrizio Romano has also commented on the situation, stating that a move, indeed, is close to being completed.

It has always been clear that Cancelo wants Barça only while Xavi had made the Portuguese international his primary target.

And, Romano claims that all parties involved are finalising the structure of the deal, which will be a loan operation with a non-mandatory purchase option.

With Jorge Mendes directly pulling the strings for Cancelo’s move, an agreement can be expected soon.