Joao Cancelo poised for Bayern loan as Man City set option to buy fee

The Portuguese has fallen out of favour at the Etihad, with Pep Guardiola favouring the likes of Rico Lewis and Nathan Ake

Joao Cancelo could leave Manchester City to join Bayern Munich on loan for the rest of the season.

The Premier League champions are in talks with their Bundesliga counterparts about a short-term move with an option to buy him for €70 million (£61.6 million).

The 28-year-old has spent three and a half years at the Etihad after joining 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 have lost left-back Lucas Hernandez for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

While fellow full-back Noussair Mazrouai has also been 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.