Joao Cancelo’s Barça Journey
It’s no secret that football clubs have their ups and downs when it comes to transfer dealings. Yet, this summer, whispers from the Camp Nou suggest that the relationship between Barcelona, spearheaded by president Laporta, and their Manchester counterparts has hit a rough patch. All this intrigue, despite Manchester City’s gesture of allowing Joao Cancelo to move to Barcelona without a loan fee. “City has accepted because the player only wanted to go to Barça and Pep Guardiola does not count on him,” it was claimed.
The orchestrator behind this move? None other than Jorge Mendes, the player’s agent, pulling the strings to ensure the deal went through smoothly.
Past Strains and Present Grievances
The undercurrent of discontent, it seems, traces back to January. Barcelona’s version of events suggests that City wasn’t keen on loaning out Cancelo during the winter window, even though Barça had slipped out of Champions League contention. Guardiola’s clarity on the matter stands firm, “City denies it.” Yet, Barcelona remain insistent on their sentiment, feeling City wasn’t forthcoming when the player himself wanted the move.
This summer’s endeavours have brought more contention. Barça’s flirtation with the idea of acquiring Bernardo Silva became the talk of the town. Their attempts, however, were allegedly met with a certain condescension from City, questioning the Catalan club’s capability to pull off such an operation.
Young Stars and Transfer Suspicions
It doesn’t stop there. In the famed hallways of Camp Nou, there’s chatter about City’s covert overtures towards Barça’s emerging stars – Lamine Yamal, Alejandro Balde, and Pau Cubarsí, to name a few. A source revealed suspicions about Manchester City being the origin of leaks concerning their purported ignorance about the Cancelo-Barça deal. “When Jorge Mendes already had everything tied up with them so that his player would be a Barça player,” it was observed.
Rumours and Realities
Adding to the whirlpool of whispers is an unconfirmed rumour suggesting City’s agreement to loan Cancelo was hinged on Eric Garcia’s move to Girona. The reality, however, shows a different picture. Barça, in fact, was also looking for an avenue for the Catalan defender’s exit to ensure the registrations of other talents like Iñigo Martínez.
This captivating saga, as reported by Mundo Deportivo, leaves football enthusiasts wondering about the nuances of transfer market dealings and the complex web of relationships they weave.
