Barcelona offered chance to sign 28-year-old Portugal international by Jorge Mendes: Reports
According to The Sun, super agent Jorge Mendes has offered Barcelona the chance to sign Manchester City fullback Joao Cancelo.
Since the departure of Dani Alves, finding a permanent player for the right-back slot has been problematic for the Blaugrana. The likes of Aleix Vidal, Nelson Semedo, Sergino Dest, Sergi Roberto, and more have tried to fill Alves' void. However, none have been able to do so in a convincing manner.
The Catalan club, however, might finally have their replacement for Alves in place. Cancelo is reportedly not happy at Manchester City. While he has scored two goals and provided five assists in 26 games across competitions this season, Pep Guardiola has recently preferred Rico Lewis.
The Spanish manager said about Cancelo a few months ago (via El Nacional):
"We had problems when he arrived, we didn't agree on many things, partly because of my mistakes, but now I'm delighted that he's completely happy and can play here for the next few seasons."
The Portuguese full-back also spoke about his adaptation in the Premier League, saying:
"I came from Juve, which had a different way of playing and I didn't adapt to the style of the team. It was more my fault. I wanted to show my quality."
Cancelo could be looking to leave Man City and Barcelona are keeping an eye on his situation. Barça have already contacted Cancelo's agent, Jorge Mendes, who has a good relationship with the club.
— Sport https://t.co/YH88xD79LX
Cancelo joined City from Juventus in 2019. Despite initial struggles at the Etihad, he eventually established himself as one of the best full-backs in the Premier League. He has registered nine goals and 22 assists in 154 appearances for Manchester City.
A player of his caliber would be a great addition for Barcelona. However, the Catalan club will not be able to make any new additions to their squad due to the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.
They will have to sell players to make room for the Portugal international.
Cancelo, meanwhile, has endured a topsy-turvy relationship with Guardiola since joining Manchester City. His recent alleged rift with the Spanish coach could force an exit from the club.
Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele faced injury scare against Girona
Ousmane Dembele has been in great form for Barcelona so far this season, scoring eight goals and providing seven assists in 27 games across competitions. However, the French winger suffered an injury scare during their La Liga clash against Girona on January 28.
Dembele was replaced by Pedri after only 26 minutes of the La Liga away clash. Since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund for a whopping €105 million in 2017, persistent injuries have halted the winger's progress.
He finally started to find his feet under Xavi's tutelage and his injury issues also seemingly took a turn for the better. The latest setback, however, could prove to be detrimental to his recent run of form.
Dembélé is replaced by Pedri after just 25 minutes...
Let's hope it's nothing serious... 😳 https://t.co/ohaZxAWEF0