Did Man City block Joao Cancelo transfer to Barcelona? Pep Guardiola claims Xavi has been ‘misinformed’

• Portuguese on the move in January
• Was wanted at Camp Nou
• Ended up in Munich with Bayern

WHAT HAPPENED? The versatile Portugal international headed out of the Etihad Stadium in January, with the 29-year-old said to have irked Guardiola with his antics. A loan deal with Bayern Munich was put in place, which includes the option for a permanent transfer, but Barca claim that they had been in the mix before an agreement was reached with the Bundesliga champions.

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WHAT THEY SAID: Guardiola is adamant that no approach was received from Camp Nou, with the former Barca boss saying when asked about Xavi’s claims: “He has been misinformed. He is far from reality. We decided that Joao had to leave and we didn't care where, if he wanted to go to Manchester United, who are the city rivals. I'm not saying Xavi was lied to, but I'm saying he was misinformed. Joao went to Bayern because Bayern wanted him. We didn't get an offer from Barca.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Xavi had told TV3, with Barcelona said to still be keen on Cancelo as Bayern are unlikely to be triggering the €70 million (£60m/$76m) option presented to them: “We wanted Cancelo. They offered him to us and we gave the OK. In the end they tell us that Manchester City do not want him to come to Barca. That is true.”

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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Getty

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WHAT NEXT? Cancelo looks to have no future at City regardless of what happens this summer, having missed the end of their Treble-winning heroics in 2022-23, and he appears destined to be playing his club football outside of England next season.