Barcelona’s efforts to bring Joao Cancelo back from Manchester City have gained traction, as the full-back has reportedly turned down other offers to prioritize a return to Camp Nou.
Cancelo, who spent the previous season on loan at Barcelona, was part of a deal that didn’t include a purchase option.
The Catalan club even posted a farewell message to Cancelo, which was quickly deleted, sparking concerns among fans about his potential return.
According to SPORT, negotiations between Barcelona and Manchester City are ongoing, and the Premier League champions have had to adjust their stance to enable Cancelo’s summer departure.
Cancelo has declined offers from other clubs, including Juventus, and informed City that his sole interest lies in rejoining Barcelona.
Initially, City insisted on a permanent transfer this summer but have since acknowledged that another initial loan might be necessary to facilitate Cancelo’s move back to Spain.
City’s next condition was to include a mandatory purchase clause, but Barcelona has yet to agree to such terms.
The Catalan club prefers an optional purchase clause but might consider an obligatory one, contingent on Cancelo’s performance in the upcoming season.
A significant factor will be Barcelona’s ability to comply with La Liga’s 1:1 spending rule, which allows them to spend €1 for every €1 earned. Currently, due to their financial constraints, they can only spend €1 for every €4 earned.
If Barcelona manages to meet this requirement, which is expected to be achievable later in the transfer window, they will likely finalize a deal valuing Cancelo around €25m, £21.5m.
