According to The Sun, Arsenal could make a surprise move for Manchester City star Joao Cancelo if Barcelona are unable to turn his loan deal into a permanent one.
The Portuguese star is currently on a season-long loan deal at Barcelona where he has been impressive with 4 goals and 4 assists from 32 outings. The La Liga giants are keen on keeping him beyond this campaign, but they are currently reluctant to meet the £40 million asking price set by Pep Guardiola’s side. They prefer another loan deal instead.
This could hand an opportunity for another club and The Sun claim that the Gunners could make a surprise swoop. Manager Mikel Arteta knows the £250,000 per week star very well from his time as the assistant manager at City. He is said to be eyeing a top-level left-back and Cancelo appears a potential candidate to fulfil the requirement.
Surprise transfer
Arsenal have recently done business with the Cityzens. The Gunners signed both Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from the Premier League holders during the summer of 2022. The duo played a key part in their league title challenge last season where they almost ended a two-decade wait for the English crown.
It has since been reported that City don’t want to sell another player to Arteta’s team and it would be a surprise if Cancelo makes the switch to the Emirates Stadium. The other question is whether Arsenal need another left-back option with the vast choices in the current squad. Zinchenko was a go-to choice under his recent calf injury against Liverpool.
Jakub Kiwior has been brilliant since the start of February with many stand-out performances. Takehiro Tomiyasu could also slot into the left-back role while the Gunners could also have Jurrien Timber to rely upon on his injury comeback. With the multiple options, it appears a surprise that Arsenal are being linked with a move for Cancelo this summer.
