Barcelona to steal Arsenal target as Guardiola gifts Xavi transfer dream

Robin Bairner

• 2 Aug 2023 12:10 BST
• 3 min read

Barcelona have opened transfer talks with Manchester City over a deal for right-back Joao Cancelo, according to reports.

Cancelo has been strongly linked with an exit from City for several months, having spent the second half of the 2022/23 season with Bayern Munich.

After failing to make an impression at the Bundesliga side, Bayern sent him back to England, where interest emerged from Arsenal.

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Having been run close in the Premier League by Mikel Arteta’s side last season, Man City rejected Arsenal’s flirtations with the Spaniard and could instead offload Cancelo to Pep Guardiola’s former club Barcelona.

TalkSport reports that Barca have already opened talks with the player as Xavi seeks for someone of his profile.

Xavi, who admitted that Ousmane Dembele is heading to PSG, has indicated that the windfall from that €50 million sale will be used to buy a defensive player.

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Speaking after Ansu Fati had given his club a 1-0 win over AC Milan on Tuesday, he confessed: “With the departure of Dembele, we need a pure right-back now.”

Such a deal would suit City, who would prefer Cancelo to move to a European side rather than reinforce one of their direct rivals.

Although he produced two goals and five assists in 23 appearances across the Premier League and Champions League for the Etihad club last season, the player is believed to have fallen out with Guardiola.

Xavi fumes at Dembele

Xavi has expressed his frustration with the way that Ousmane Dembele has handled his exit from the club, having previously confessed his love of the player, who he believes can be the best winger in the world if he can reach his potential.

“I will be very clear. Dembele has asked us to leave. He has a proposal from PSG and that’s why he didn’t play,” he said when asked why the player did not even make the for the Milan match after he had opened the scoring against Real Madrid.

“It’s a pity. I’m a little disappointed with Dembele. It leaves a bad taste to me because we had taken great care of him here so that he is happy and content and continues to make a difference for us.

“But we cannot match an offer from PSG that is completely off the scale.”