Welcome to the final hours of the January transfer window, a period that always sees a lot of plot twists and turns. However, Joao Cancelo leaving Manchester City is certainly not a narrative that anybody saw coming. While it is true that he has fallen out of favor with manager Pep Guardiola recently, failing to start the past three matches (across all competitions), the Portugese left back wasn’t expected to leave.
And he certainly wasn’t expected to go a fellow Champions League title contender..
But yes, Cancelo, according to multiple reports, is set to to join Bayern Munich, on a loan deal that includes a buy option of €70 million (£61.6m, $76.3m) that kicks in come summer time. Cancelo moves to the 10-time Bundesliga champions and six time winners of the Champions League.
The 28-year-old defender has already flow to Munich to undergo his medical, finalize the move and sign the contract with his new club.
You can expect an official confirmation out of Bavaria later today, or tonight.
One can understand how this move makes sense for Cancelo, but how is this logical for City? First off, like we already said, they’re immediately boosting one of the main contenders for the very trophy that they are desperate to get their hands on. Secondly, City is leaving themselves no dangerously thin at the position of left flank of the back line.
One of the best fullbacks in the world, it is quite surprising that the Etihad is letting him go, especially when they obviously don’t need the money. But hey, at least they will get a nice payday out of it.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.