Man City could allow defender to join Barcelona, loan move seen as feasible

In a positive development for FC Barcelona, Laia Tudel via Tot Costa is reporting that Manchester City could allow Joao Cancelo to join Barcelona on loan this summer, with the deal being viewed in a positive light by the Premier League champions.

The Blaugrana are in the market for a new right-back, although Financial Fair Play regulations make it difficult for them to sign anyone unless there are some exits.

Moves for cost-effective options like Ivan Fresneda and Pablo Maffeo have been considered, but Cancelo remains the preferred option for manager Xavi Hernandez, who is seeking an experienced player in the position.

But a permanent transfer for the Portuguese international would be impractical given the economic situation and the player’s valuation. As such, Barça are hoping to sign the former Valencia and Juventus ace on loan with a purchase option.

It had been suggested that Manchester City would prefer to sell him outright this summer, especially with interest coming in from Arsenal.

However, as per the latest update, the Premier League champions could allow Cancelo to join Barcelona on loan, with the player and the clubs seeing it as a feasible option.

Things seem to be moving behind the scenes and progress is being made, although there is still a lot of work to be done.

For starters, Cancelo would need to reduce his €8 million per year salary if he wishes to secure a transfer to Barcelona. Furthermore, Barça will need to improve their Fair Play situation by offloading some of their unwanted players at the earliest possible.

But with Man City seeing a loan exit to Barcelona as viable, a move could take place in the coming weeks.