FC Barcelona Agree Personal Terms With Manchester City Star: Reports

Manchester City star Joao Cancelo has agreed personal terms with FC Barcelona according to transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano.

Barca head coach Xavi Hernandez is in the market for a right back after managing to land central defender Inigo Martinez, pivot Oriol Romeu and midfielder Ilkay Gundogan this summer.

Last season, Jules Kounde had to provide cover in the position where captain Sergio Roberto – more commonly deployed in the center of the park – is the manager’s only realistic choice.

Sergino Dest went on Barca’s preseason tour of the U.S. which concluded with a win over AC Milan at the Allegiant Stadium on Tuesday.

But reports spread from El Espanol that the Dutch-born USNMT international has failed to impress Xavi who wants his contract rescinded.

This development means that the search is still alive, and it has been given a boost by the expected departure of Ousmane Dembele.

In a shock exit, which shouldn’t have come as much as a surprise given his contract situation, Dembele will join Paris Saint-Germain for €50 million ($55 million) thanks to a private clause agreed when he extended his deal until June 2024 in 2022.

President Joan Laporta and his board can only pocket half of the money with the other €25 million ($27.5 million) heading to the player and his agent Moussa Sissoko.

Barca are disputing how much they should receive, though, because they believe the Dembele camp did not perform all the required duties to warrant a 50-50 split.

Regardless, a cash-strapped Catalan outfit struggling to register new players and successfully navigate Financial Fair Play Limits can use some of the cash received through the sale of ‘The Mosquito’ in a coup for Cancelo.

According to Romano, personal terms have already been agreed with the Portuguese who Xavi has seen as a priority since January.

There were reports from SPORT that Barca legend Pep Guardiola effectively blocked Cancelo fleeing to Camp Nou after a training ground bust-up, and he headed to Bayern Munich on loan instead.

With that temporary assignment finished, the 29-year-old is still unwanted at the Etihad and talks are now ongoing between Barca and City to hash out a deal.

Considering Barca’s harsh economic reality, a loan deal with an option to buy when the La Liga champions are in better financial shape 12 months from now might be the most likely outcome.