According to Kicker’s Georg Holzner, Arsenal are interested in signing Joao Cancelo after Bayern Munich refused to sign him on a permanent deal.
A falling out with Pep Guardiola saw the full-back join Bayern on a loan deal during the second half of the 22/23 season but the Bavarians are not interested in paying €70 million because they think he’s too expensive.
However, the Gunners would not mind spending that amount on the 29-year-old and even though they are being linked with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Henrichs, Joao Cancelo remains Mikel Arteta’s first priority.
The right-back is currently valued at €50 million and his contract with Manchester City expires in 2027 but because of his falling out with Guardiola, City will offload him at the drop of a hat.
Will Joao Cancelo be a sensible signing for Arsenal?
Joao Cancelo is a versatile full-back who can play on either side of defence but Arteta particularly wants him for the right-back role.
Ben White played as the right-back this season and even though he did great, he is a central defender by trade. There’s no guarantee White will be able to repeat his form next season as well which is why the Arsenal manager wants to patch up that position before it is too late.
Takehiro Tomiyasu is the backup to Ben White but he’s undergone a knee operation which means he will take time to return to his best form. He’s expected to be back in action sometime in September and he’ll take another three to four gameweeks before properly adjusting to the pace of the game.
Zinchenko’s arrival from Man City last summer was a major catalyst for Arsenal’s performances and with the kind of performances that we have seen Joao Cancelo give at City, he can become another masterstroke signing for the Gunners.
The 29-year-old has played 154 games for City, scoring and assisting 31 goals and on top of that, he’s won three EPL titles, one Serie A title and the latest Champions League.
On paper, this can turn out to be one of the sleeper hits of the summer but the only concern we have is the €70 million transfer fee for someone who is 29 years old. Arsenal will at best offer him a three-year deal and because his contract with Manchester City runs until 2027, there’s no room for negotiations either. The club is already spending more than €120 million on Declan Rice and if they are willing to pay €70 million on Joao Cancelo then the Gunners might not have too much transfer budget left for their other summer signings.
