Barcelona pulled off a significant move during the summer when they agreed a deal with Manchester City to take Joao Cancelo on loan for the 2023-24 season. The Portuguese had been out of favour at the European champions for the last 12 months, but before that, he was widely considered to be one of the best full-backs in the world.
As expected, Cancelo has made a very bright start to life at Barcelona. He has had a couple of poorer matches, but for the most part, his performances in the Blaugrana have been very good.
In recent weeks, much of the attention has been on Joao Felix in regards to a permanent transfer next summer. Felix, like Cancelo, joined Barcelona on a season-long loan, albeit from Atletico Madrid, and he has also impressed, to the point that it is almost certain that the Catalans will look to buy him.
On the contrary, there has been very little reports surface in regards to Barcelona’s consideration of signing Cancelo permanently, a point covered by Fichajes. However, it should also be remembered that it is only October, and the 2024 summer transfer window does not open until next July.
Furthermore, this could also be because signing Cancelo on a permanent basis should be easier for Barcelona compared to Felix. Man City’s asking price for Cancelo will be nowhere near as high as Atletico’s for Felix, so it is much more economically viable for Barcelona.
There should not be very much doubt that Barcelona should sign Cancelo permanently. He has come in and fixed a position that has caused problems for seven years, and has been an extremely valuable asset for head coach Xavi Hernandez. There were questions as to whether Cancelo could fit into Barcelona’s system, but he has answered those emphatically.
Yes, he has made a few bad moments since arriving, but the vast majority of Barcelona’s squad have too. As he becomes even more settled, he should get even better, which should be a very exciting prospect for the club and its supporters.
For the meantime, Barcelona should look to just enjoy having Cancelo at the club performing at a high level, without thinking too far ahead. The time will come for discussions over a possible permanent deal, but that is still a few months down the line.
It’s safe to say that Cancelo has been an excellent signing for Barcelona, on the basis of his first matches for the club. If they can retain his services on a permanent basis, it would be a delight for all involved.
