Arsenal have opened talks to sign out-of-favour Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Cancelo, 29, has experienced a difficult season spent partially away from the Etihad after being deemed surplus to requirements by Pep Guardiola.
After losing his place in City‘s starting line-up, Cancelo was loaned to German giants Bayern Munich in January for the remainder of the campaign.
He helped Bayern win an 11th consecutive Bundesliga title on the final day at the expense of Borussia Dortmund but is unlikely to remain at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern have the option to make Cancelo’s loan deal permanent for £61m but The Mirror reported in March that the Bavarian club had decided against triggering it.
Cancelo now faces an uncertain future, with City well-stacked at both left-back and right-back.
Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji have impressed this season in hybrid wide centre-back roles on the left side of City’s defence, while Kyle Walker and Rico Lewis provide Guardiola with options on the right.
City may therefore look to sell Cancelo this summer.
Arsenal ‘make contact’ over Cancelo deal
Premier League runners-up Arsenal have been consistently linked with a move for Cancelo this summer, as have La Liga champions Barcelona.
Transfer expert Romano has now confirmed that the Gunners have made contact over a potential deal for the Portugal international.
He told GiveMeSport: “For Cancelo, yes, they are interested. They had some contact, and they have very good relationship with these agents.
“So there was a conversation over the possibility to sign Cancelo.”
It remains to be seen whether City will be happy to sell to rivals Arsenal, having already allowed Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to move to the Emirates.
Those two signings helped transform Arsenal into genuine title contenders and reports earlier this season claimed that City had introduced a new rule, banning the sale of any more of their players to the Gunners.
What has Cancelo said?
Speaking back in February, Cancelo denied he had fallen out with Guardiola prior to moving to Bayern.
“As I already said, he [Guardiola] found a way to play, after the World Cup, in which he started playing with a full-back more inside, where I also played, and he liked what he saw with Rico and Nathan,” he said.
“I respected his decision because I have to and this is a team of great footballers.
“But I think a player is always a bit selfish. Any player wants to feel important, wants to play and anyone who says otherwise is lying. A competitive player, like me, who aspires to win titles, just wants to play.
“It’s like Pep said, I need to play to be happy. It’s not a question of devaluing my teammates, because others are on the bench to play. But I thought I deserved to play and he didn’t.”
When asked about his future, Cancelo added that he was unsure what would happen this summer.
“Bayern have a purchase option, I don’t know if they will exercise it or not, but while I’m here I’ll do my best,” he added.
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