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Joao Cancelo’s future is one of the question marks for Barcelona as we move closer to the summer transfer window.
Cancelo’s loan deal at Camp Nou expires at the end of the season, but the club are keen on keeping hold of his services beyond the summer.
Negotiating with Manchester City, however, was always going to be a problem for Barcelona, especially when it comes to unlocking a valuation that supports the club’s ongoing economic woes.
Man City to reach an agreement with Jorge Mendes
However, in a major boost for Barcelona, it seems Jorge Mendes is ready to single-handedly convince Manchester City to offload Cancelo, his agent, at a lower valuation.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Mendes plans to meet the Man City representatives soon to discuss the future of the Barcelona star.
As per the report, Mendes will ask Man City to offload Cancelo at a reasonable fee of around €20 million or less.
Cancelo could be crucial. (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)This comes on the back of a recent meeting that took place between Mendes and the Barcelona representatives including President Joan Laporta and Sporting Director Deco.
The future of Cancelo and Joao Felix was among the things discussed in the meeting. While Barcelona are not too keen on signing Felix on a permanent deal, they are serious about splashing the cash on Cancelo.
Two scenarios for Cancelo
A valuation of just €20 million does appear to be quite low for a player of Cancelo’s calibre, especially knowing the fact that his contract at Etihad does not expire until 2027.
Therefore, it won’t be surprising to see Man City demanding a higher valuation for the Portuguese international.
That is where Jorge Mendes could come in handy. If the Portuguese superagent is not able to convince Man City to offload the player on a cut-price deal, he will likely go for another loan deal.
While Barcelona would ideally seek a permanent deal, they wouldn’t mind having Cancelo for another season, before possibly seeking a transfer in the summer of 2025.