Barcelona see €40 million-rated defender’s continuity for next season as complicated

Last night, during the premiere of Ronald Araujo’s documentary, on-loan Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo declared his intention to stay at the club beyond the current season.

When asked if he sees himself at the Catalan club next term, the Portuguese ace replied: “Yes, yes! I do.”

Barcelona have already held talks with his agent, Jorge Mendes, to discuss the situation of both Cancelo and Joao Felix and are devising strategies to keep them at the club beyond the ongoing campaign.

Cancelo’s continuity difficult

However, now, SPORT is reporting that Barcelona believe that Joao Cancelo’s continuity at the club for next season could be complicated.

The player’s agent, Mendes, made clear the player’s predisposition to continue with the Blaugrana in the meeting he held with Joan Laporta last Tuesday.

However, for economic reasons, Barcelona would explore the possibility of a new loan deal rather than a permanent transfer.

But Manchester City, the player’s parent club, are not considering any other scenario than a definitive transfer this summer.

City already made a big rush last summer to try to sell Cancelo and did not agree to his loan move to Barça until the last day of the market. The operation was made possible by the player’s determination to come to Barcelona, but this summer it will not be so simple.

Cancelo wants to stay at Barcelona. (Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)

Cancelo has a contract with Manchester City until 2027. They do not count on the player but are clear that this time he will only leave through a sale to the highest bidder and they have made this clear to his entourage.

City want €40 million

The report states that Manchester City value Cancelo at around €40 million, now that he has been revalued at Barça. There are Premier League clubs interested and Saudi Arabian teams willing to bet on the player.

That figure for Barça is unaffordable and they do not even want to get close. The idea of the Blaugrana club is not to invest in a right-back this summer as they want to bet on a pivot and a left-winger.

Manchester City want to recoup the money invested in the right-back. As such, the key to the whole thing is whether Mendes will be able to convince the English club with a hybrid formula of a loan with a conditional option to buy. It is the maximum Barça can aspire to.

The player is clear that he wants to stay, but it remains to be seen how he reacts if he receives a very important economic proposal from another club. What is clear to Barça is that his continuity will be much more complicated than that of Joao Félix.