- Joao Cancelo on loan at Barcelona from Man City
- Deal does not include buy option and future at Barca remains up in the air
- Real Madrid legend Pepe wants Cancelo to cross the Clasico divide
Barcelona full-back Joao Cancelo has revealed Portugal teammate Pepe has told him he should consider joining Real Madrid.
Cancelo signed for Barca on loan from Manchester City on deadline day of the summer transfer window, completing a move to Catalonia until the end of the 2023/24 season.
A permanent move to Barcelona is not assured, however. The loan deal does not include an option to buy and reports from Spain have claimed Man City are reluctant to sanction another exit that isn’t a sale.
When Cancelo was interviewed by RTP, the Portuguese national television, he said that Pepe, a legendary player for Madrid, is attempting to persuade him to go to the Santiago Bernabeu.
It is a dream come true for me to be in Barcelona, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Even if we are experiencing difficulties with our finances. It is the club that I have always admired, in addition to Benfica,” Cancelo started out by saying.
“If you ask Pepe, for example, he would tell me that I was a good player for Real Madrid, and I would say that I am from Barcelona and I couldn’t play for Real Madrid.”
Cancelo was removed from the Manchester City team in January 2023 as a result of a disagreement with Pep Guardiola, managing the club at the time. After spending the remainder of the 2022–2023 season in England, he went on loan to Bayern Munich for the remainder of the season. After that, he shipped out to Barcelona once again.
Couldcelo continued by saying, “I do not harbor any ill will toward Pep Guardiola.” It seems to me that they are cycles. Pep is a person who has a strong personality, and I am the same way. There were times when we did not agree with each other. It was both I and he who informed me. In the whole globe, Guardiola is the finest coach there is. Life continues on. The city of Barcelona is a wonderful place for me.
