SUMMARY
- Manchester City loanee Joao Cancelo has faced a recent setback which will force him to sit out for the next few matches for Barcelona.
- There are reports that Cancelo has a strained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. His return date is currently unknown.
Barcelona’s struggling campaign has hit another roadblock as one of their key players is set to miss the next few games. Manchester City loanee Joao Cancelo has faced a recent setback which will force him to sit out for the next few matches for Blaugrana.
The versatile right-back only lasted 10 minutes during a recent match between Barcelona and Las Palmas before he had to be subbed off. Soon, he was replaced by Danish international Andreas Christensen.
There are reports that Cancelo has a strained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. His return date is currently unknown. Cancelo has been a crucial player for the Spanish team this season, having played 22 games across different competitions. The Portuguese international has scored three goals and was involved in two.
🚨🔵🔴 Barcelona announce that tests carried out this morning have revealed that João Cancelo has a left MCL strain.
“He is out and his recovery will determine his availability”, club reports. pic.twitter.com/Qm0ctzuExI
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 5, 2024
Cancelo’s injury concern will surely give a headache to Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez as he has shown his capabilities of playing from both the wings. While the rest of the first-team players are available, Barcelona will have a task cut out when they face Barbastro on Sunday 7, January in the Copa del Rey.
Such has been his impact, that Barcelona will be looking forward to buying him permanently after the end of the season. Cancelo was a crucial player for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City over the years because of his impressive attacking prowess.
However, his relationship with the Spanish mastermind has been the talk of the town as he had to spend half of the previous season on loan where he played for Bayern Munich. The Portuguese international returned to the shores of Manchester at the start of the season but was soon loaned yet again to Barcelona.
Manchester City eyes Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde in a swap deal for Joao Cancelo
Manchester City is reportedly planning to sign Alejandro Balde from Barcelona next summer as part of a proposed swap deal, following the end of the season-long loan deal of Joao Cancelo.
Cancelo who still has three years of contract left with Manchester City, hasn’t been favored much by Pep Guardiola since last season. It is quite evident, that the Portuguese international fate will end up in Barcelona as they will look forward to signing him permanently after the season.
Barcelona have actually gone ahead and offered Alejandro Balde to Manchester City in a swap deal for Joao Cancelo. pic.twitter.com/qWIjE1wewn
— InsideTransferz by Gio Zanetti (@InTrasferimenti) January 1, 2024
Reports are suggesting that Manchester City might be interested in signing the Spanish left-back Alejandro Balde through a swap deal. Balde is just 20 years old and he recently signed a long-term contract with Barcelona that extends until 2028, with a staggering $1 billion release clause. However, the Catalan club is currently facing financial difficulties and they could be willing to sell their young player.
Balde and Cancelo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has informed Manchester City that the deal may involve a player-plus-cash exchange between his clients.