Real Madrid considered €50m January transfer for Man City star

Suraj Radia

• 13 Feb 2023 17:53 GMT
• 2 min read

Real Madrid were in talks over a move for Joao Cancelo before the wing-back completed a loan move from Manchester City to Bayern Munich in January.

Cancelo had been an integral part of City’s team since joining from Juventus for a £60 million player exchange deal in 2019 but he was allowed to leave after falling out with Pep Guardiola.

Bayern signed Cancelo on deadline day on loan with an option to buy in the summer for €70m but The Athletic report that the 28-year-old was also offered to Real Madrid and Barcelona before joining the Bundesliga side.

NO GO: Why Cancelo is likely to return to City in the summer

A move to Barca was quickly ruled out as the Catalan outfit could not afford to register his wages with La Liga but Real are believed to have made a loan offer for Cancelo which included a buy option of an initial €30m plus a further €20m in add-ons.

The offer fell significantly short of City’s asking price, with the Premier League side hoping a higher buy-out clause would be the starting point for negotiations over a permanent move in the summer.

However, sources from Real Madrid’s side claim that, while there was contact between the club and Cancelo’s agent, no formal offer was placed as the fee was considered too high, with some also believing their name was used to drive up City’s asking price.

What does the future hold for Cancelo?

Cancelo is unlikely to return to City in the summer, having lost his place in the first team to teenager Rico Lewis since the World Cup, leading to an argument between Guardiola and the Portuguese international.

Having been a star player for City in recent times, interest in Cancelo is still thought to be strong and he is likely to command a bidding war in the summer, with Bayern claiming the €70m buyout clause is unlikely to be affordable for the club.

Cancelo has also been linked with a move to Chelsea and there is potential for a swap deal as City are believed to be interested in Blues left-back Ben Chilwell, who has struggled with injuries this season.

SWAP: City eye Chilwell as Cancelo replacement

Real Madrid, however, are unlikely to chase Cancelo despite being in the market for a wing-back as they are looking to make their squad younger, while also focusing their resources on a potential move for Jude Bellingham in the summer.