Man City prepare to trigger release clause for Cancelo replacement after adding extra incentive

Manchester City are about to give the green light to Joao Cancelo to join Barcelona on loan and are ready to line up Valentin Barco as a successor at full-back.

Cancelo spent the second half of last season on loan at Bayern Munich, but has since become a target for Barcelona. With no way back at the Etihad Stadium, the clubs have been exploring how to get the deal done.

And according to The Sun, Barcelona are now willing to cover 90% of Cancelo’s wages while he is on loan in order to facilitate his exit from Man City.

After that, there would be plans for a £45m permanent transfer, which would bring a definitive end to Cancelo’s stay in Manchester.

Although Cancelo was not part of the Man City squad by the time they were lifting three trophies last season, it will still be important for them to line up a new arrival to replenish their depth.

And the report claims they are willing to activate the release clause of Boca Juniors left-back Barco, which would set them back about £10m.

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Barco is also a target for Brighton, but Man City have a plan that would entail Boca Juniors keeping him on loan until January.

It would be a similar strategy to the one that enabled them to sign Julian Alvarez from Boca’s arch-rivals River Plate in 2022. Coupled with their intention to meet Barco’s exit clause, it could make them the most appealing bidder.

Barco is only 19 years old, but has 20 senior appearances to his name for Boca Juniors so far. His contract there is only valid until the end of December 2024, though – and his exit could come sooner if Man City can get their way.

Time up for Cancelo at Man City

Cancelo, meanwhile, would be leaving the club again after 154 appearances. A move to Barcelona would take him back to La Liga for the first time since he represented Valencia between 2014 and 2017.

His other former clubs have included Benfica, Inter and Juventus, but Man City are the side he has played most for.

The 29-year-old’s contract there is still scheduled to run until 2027, but his immediate future should be in Barcelona. They have struggled with some financial issues in recent years, but seem to have found a way to make the Cancelo operation feasible.

They would be quickly reuniting him with Ilkay Gundogan after picking up the midfielder on a free transfer after his Man City contract ended this summer. Ferran Torres and Eric Garcia are also among Xavi’s squad after previously playing for Man City.