On-loan Barcelona star reiterates wish to continue – ‘I am very comfortable here’

Defender Joao Cancelo’s loan spell with Barcelona is set to end this month and as he inches closer to his return, he has expressed his fondness for the club by mentioning that he feels very comfortable living in Catalonia.

“I really like being here in Barcelona. I am very comfortable. My family, my daughter, my wife also. We hope that next year we will be here,” said Cancelo about his future (via Futbol Emotion).

It must be noted that Cancelo’s future at Barcelona is very much uncertain due to the club’s financial constraints. 

Barcelona do not have the financial capability to purchase Cancelo from Manchester City and the best option for them would be to negotiate an extension of his loan, as paying for his permanent transfer is currently not feasible.

This is because Barcelona’s priority is to strengthen other positions in their squad, particularly a left-winger and a defensive midfielder. 

Investing in these areas is crucial for the team, and spending on Cancelo would jeopardise their adherence to Financial Fair Play regulations. As a result, allocating funds for Cancelo is not on the top of their list.

City are making life tough for Barcelona

On the other hand, Manchester City are keen on making a profit from Cancelo’s transfer. They are not interested in extending another loan deal for the Portuguese defender. 

If they were to consider another loan, they would require a mandatory purchase option to be included, having demanded €30 million for his transfer, as he is still under contract with them until 2027.

It is said that Cancelo is willing to take a pay cut from his £180,000 per week (about €210,000) salary to facilitate the deal. 

In a recent discussion, City’s management informed Cancelo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, that they are open to negotiating an agreement but stressed the need for a transfer deal. 

They highlighted the interest from other clubs in acquiring Cancelo, which complicates his potential stay at Barcelona.

Cancelo has made his desire to stay at Barcelona known, but his contractual obligations with Manchester City limit his influence over the situation. 

Despite his strong wish to remain in Catalonia, the final decision lies with the clubs and the negotiations between them.