Arsenal

Arsenal

Premier League • England

Arsenal finally open talks over Man City star transfer, though Pep aims to win by inserting clause

Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva, Manchester City, January 2021

Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva in action

Arsenal have reportedly opened talks over the signing of Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo, and Pep Guardiola is looking to insert a clause to win the transfer.

At the back end of last season, Arsenal struggled to maintain the form that had gotten them into the title race. Indeed, they led the league for much of the campaign, but dropped off when it really mattered.

The drop-off coincided with the injury of centre-back William Saliba. The Gunners have a useful deputy playing on the right in Ben White, but given his own deputy, Takehiro Tomiyasu, was injured too, White had to stay in his position, with Rob Holding playing in the centre.

Arsenal’s performances dropped off at that point. Things might have been the same with White in the middle, but he seemed a better option if available to Mikel Arteta, rather than Holding, whose performances were lacking.

After missing out on the title, Arteta fixed that problem with the smart transfer of Jurrien Timber.

The defender, like White, can play both as a centre-back and a right-back, so Arsenal now have two utility men in the back line, strengthening them in emergencies.

However, they’ve already suffered a major blow in that Timber was injured in their Premier League opener.

He’s expected to be sidelined for around seven months, and the Gunners have been sent back to square one.

Arsenal open talks for Cancelo

Before signing Timber, Arsenal were linked with Man City full-back Cancelo. Since his injury, those links have reappeared, and are only getting stronger.

Now, 90min reports the Gunners are ‘in talks with Man City over a potential loan deal’.

They’re also said to be discussing personal terms with the Portugal international.

They do have competition in the form of Barcelona. Cancelo is seemingly their favoured full-back this window, and the report states he ‘wants to join’ and has ‘agreed personal terms’.

If City can get a better deal by shipping him to Arsenal, though, they’ll surely attempt to do so.

Guardiola wants to insert buy obligation

With Barcelona negotiations paused due to an ‘issue between the clubs regarding the nature of the proposed deal’, moving Cancelo to Arsenal could allow City to make the most money.

While the Gunners are looking for a loan transfer, City are ‘seeking an obligation to buy’ worth £51million.

In the case of Barca, they want to have the option to buy Cancelo at the end of the potential loan spell, and for the lower price of £43million.

As such, if Arsenal are to accept City’s terms, they’ll obviously favour that route. That would see Guardiola force a rival to pay for a player they didn’t actually need a few weeks ago, which would be very smart business.

Cancelo might well be a good player at Arsenal, and he could bring the two sides closer together, but in terms of off-field dealings, that would be categorised as a win for City.

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