Cancelo to leave Manchester City for Bayern Munich on loan

Ahead of the January transfer window deadline, it’s been gathered that Portuguese football star, Joao Cancelo will be leaving Manchester City to join Bayern Munich on loan for the rest of the season.

Cancelo has been a key player for City in recent times, taking in 36 appearances for the Premier League champions last season while making the PFA Premier League Team of the Year in each of the last two campaigns.

Some English media platforms reported that Manchester United and Bayern Munich are working out a short-term move with an option to buy him for €70 million (£61.6 million).

The 28-year-old spent three and a half years at the Etihad after joining the club from Juventus in 2019 for €65 million (£60 million).

Cancelo is now eager to leave to get first-team football after losing his place since the World Cup.

The Portugal international has only started three of City’s 10 games since the World Cup and has not featured since the Manchester derby defeat.

City’s shift in tactics, plus the emergence of teenager Rico Lewis, the ability of Nathan Ake to play left-back, and the fact manager Pep Guardiola has five central defenders in his squad means they believe they have enough cover to cope without him for the rest of the season.

Bayern has already lost left-back Lucas Hernandez for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

The club’s full-back Noussair Mazrouai was also sidelined recently, though they did sign the Netherlands international Daley Blind.

Bayern could also lose Benjamin Pavard this summer, with the France defender’s contract running out in 2024, all of which makes Cancelo a timely addition immediately and for the future.

If Cancelo seals a switch before the winter window closes on Tuesday, then he would be in line to make his debut for Bayern in either a DFB-Pokal clash with Mainz on Wednesday or a Bundesliga trip to Wolfsburg on Sunday.