BARCELONA are increasingly confident that on-loan Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo will stay at the Nou Camp.
But the cash-strapped Catalans may have to talk City into another loan deal if they are to get their wish.
Cancelo has been one of the success stories of a difficult season for Barca and is believed to want to remain at the club.
The Portugal international has more than three years left on his City contract but the Premier League champions are in no hurry to have him back after his falling-out with boss Pep Guardiola.
City would prefer to offload Cancelo this summer on a permanent deal to the highest bidder.
But reports in Spain suggest agent Jorge Mendes is working hard to find a way his client could remain at Barcelona.
The club’s ongoing financial problems will make it difficult for them to fund a big-money deal for Cancelo this year while at the same time revamping an under-performing squad.
A loan deal with a decent fee and an obligation to buy would be one way to keep everyone happy.
Cancelo, 29, has featured in all but one of Barcelona’s LaLiga games this season and was involved in all six Champions League group games.
Just as at City, his ability to play as a defender on both flanks, as well as further forward, has proved useful.
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Cancelo also spent the second half of last season away from the Etihad, on loan at Bayern Munich, after a bust-up with Guardiola.
The player made it know he was unhappy at being dropped in favour of Rico Lewis and was shown the door in January 2023.
Cancelo went on to complete a title double, winning the Bundesliga with Bayern and receiving a medal for his part in City’s Premier League triumph.
There seems to be no way back at the Etihad for a player who arrived in 2019 from Juventus in a swap deal involving Danilo that was worth £60m.
