Man City 'get to work' getting rid of one player no longer wanted by Pep Guardiola

Joao Cancelo's time as a Manchester City player appears to be nearing an end with Pep Guardiola's side actively working to iron out a deal to move the Portugal international on permanently.

The 30-year-old has been a City player since 2019, moving to the Etihad Stadium from Italian side Juventus for £27.4m plus Danilo.

Cancelo has gone on to score nine goals in 154 games for City, winning the Premier League three times and the League Cup in his time with the club.

But Cancelo has not appeared for City since January 2023, after a reported fallout with boss Guardiola over a lack of playing time, with Nathan Ake and Rico Lewis taking his place in the team.

In the 2023 January transfer window, Cancelo moved on loan to German giants Bayern Munich for the second half of that campaign.

He scored once in 21 games at the Allianz Arena, claiming a Bundesliga winners' medal in the process.

There was a buy-out clause for Bayern to purchase Cancelo for just over £61m last summer, but the German side opted not to activate it and the player returned to City.

Cancelo was not back in Manchester for very long, however, as he headed out on loan again, this time for the whole of last season to Spanish giants Barcelona.

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At the Camp Nou side, Cancelo scored four times in 42 appearances, and was part of the Portugal squad which reached the quarter-final stages of Euro 2024 this summer before going out on penalties to France.

Cancelo's City contract still has three more years left to run on it, but it appears the defender is unlikely to play again for the Etihad Stadium side after his relationship with Guardiola broke down.

And according to Spanish outlet Sport, City have 'started working' with Barcelona on a deal which will eventually see Cancelo move to the Catalan side on a permanent basis.

City are reported to be happy to let Cancelo head out on loan again to Barca for the upcoming season, but with a mandatory option to buy the defender next summer.

The Spanish club are said prefer a non-mandatory purchase option or one which is based upon certain objectives being reached, but sporting director Deco and new boss Hansi Flick consider Cancelo to be the club's first choice right-back.

Though some work is still to be done, it appears Cancelo's permanent exit from City is set to eventually be mapped out.