Joao Cancelo had looked to be a bargain swoop from Bayern Munich after the incumbent German champions managed to secure a loan deal for the Manchester City star.
Amid reports of frustration off the pitch, due to playing time, however, it appeared that this might not have necessarily been the stunning piece of business many initially presumed it to be.
“I talked with Julian Nagelsmann about João Cancelo and he said that the defender is doing well but he isn’t a player for his system, which involves three defenders behind two wing-backs. So that’s the problem,” BILD reporter Christian Falk exclusively revealed in his latest column for CaughtOffside.
“If Pavard is fit, it’s getting difficult for Cancelo and time is slowly running out. It’s not a perfect situation for both sides and it’s worth considering that the clause of €70m is too high for Bayern Munich. I heard they’ve already informed the player and his management that they can’t pay this amount.
“If there’s no truth in the interest of Real Madrid and no one is prepared to pay this clause, Bayern would surely sit at the table with Manchester City and discuss his contract but €70m just isn’t an option for them. Plus, at the moment, he’s not a regular in the first-XI.”
The Portuguese international has left a definitive mark on the Bavarian giants’ recent games, registering a goal and assist in the 5-3 win over Augsburg after providing an assist in the 2-0 win over PSG in the Champions League Round of 16.
Five goal contribution in nine games total for Julian Nagelsmann is certainly a far from disappointing tally, especially when one considers the challenges associated with a mid-season switch.
The question, now, of course, is what the future holds for a player who, positionally, represents something of an ongoing hurdle for the manager to jump over.
Bayern won’t be in any kind of hurry to adjust tactics for just one of their players, nor do they possess the funds to showcase their intent in the summer.
It leaves Cancelo in a bit of a difficult position given that the Sky Blues don’t seem particularly keen to hold on to the right-back either – a remarkable reality given that the club is currently embroiled in a title race with Arsenal.
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