Transfer official! FCB sign João Cancelo from Manchester City

The transfer cracker is perfect! FC Bayern Munich have secured the services of João Cancelo. The full-back initially switched to the German record champions on loan from Manchester City.

The 28-year-old is on loan from ex-Bayern coach Pep Guardiola until the end of the season. “We have now loaned him out and in the summer we have the opportunity to sign him permanently,” said Bayern’s sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic in a club press release. According to media reports, the purchase option is said to be 70 million euros.

“João is one of the players we’ve been thinking about for a long time because we value his qualities very much. He fits into our system perfectly with his attacking style of play and his dynamics, and with his mentality and experience he also fits in very well with ours team,” added Salihamidzic.

Cancelo is Bayern’s third winter signing after Daley Blind and Yann Sommer. “FC Bayern is a great club, one of the best clubs in the world, and it’s a huge motivation for me to now be in a team with these extraordinary players. I know that this club, this team, lives for titles and wins titles every year. I’m also driven by the hunger for success – I’ll do my best for Bayern,” said Cancelo.

The Portuguese national player is a qualified right-back and has also played in left-back defense for both the national team and Man City. At Bayern, Cancelo should push Benjamin Pavard to the bench. The Frenchman, who recently flirted with a change, was not completely convincing as a right-back and sees himself more in the center anyway. Homegrown Josip Stanisic played on the right back against Frankfurt. Noussair Mazraoui, who was convincing before the winter break, is out indefinitely due to a pericarditis.

Bayern Munich sign João Cancelo from Manchester City

Cancelo has scored seven goals in 41 caps for Portugal in his career so far. For Manchester City, where he still has a contract until 2027, he has made 154 competitive appearances (nine goals, 22 assists) since moving from Juventus to the island in 2019 for 65 million euros. Before his time at Juventus, the World Cup participant was active for FC Valencia, Inter Milan and Benfica.

In the current season, Cancelo was initially set as a regular player, but recently there are said to have been tensions between him and coach Guardiola. In the last three competitive games, Cancelo has not played at ManCity.

FC Bayern: João Cancelo in the profile