João Cancelo, despite not playing for Manchester City since January 2023 due to a falling out with manager Pep Guardiola, remains contracted to the club until 2027. After his situation at City changed, he spent the latter part of the 2022–23 season on loan at Bayern Munich and subsequently finished the season on loan at Barcelona.
Upon returning from his stint with the Portugal national team, Cancelo has been training with his former City teammates.
Guardiola recently commented on Cancelo’s situation, acknowledging that the player is currently training with the squad. However, the manager was non-committal about Cancelo’s future, stating that the club is still evaluating their options. “He is training with us, and we will see what happens. He could stay, or he could go on loan.
I don’t know yet,” Guardiola said in a press conference. When asked directly if Cancelo might remain at City for the upcoming season, Guardiola responded, “It’s possible, yes.”
Cancelo had been a key player for City, particularly during their Premier League title wins in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. However, tensions arose between him and Guardiola after the 2022 World Cup when Cancelo was dropped from the starting lineup.
Reports suggest that Cancelo’s behaviour became problematic, including an incident where he allegedly wore headphones and listened to music during one of Guardiola’s pre-match team talks. This act of defiance reportedly prompted Guardiola to tell City’s sporting director, Txiki Begiristain, that Cancelo should be moved on before the end of the transfer window for the good of the team.
Despite his past contributions to the club’s success, Cancelo’s future at Manchester City remains uncertain, with his strained relationship with Guardiola casting a shadow over his potential reintegration into the squad. Whether he stays or moves on, the situation highlights the challenges of maintaining squad harmony and managing high-profile players within a competitive team environment.
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