Sensational Man City exit hits snag as Barcelona can’t afford £94m pair with no road back

Barcelona deals for Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix are reportedly ‘impossible’ given the combined £94million asking price, which means they are going to have to find another way.

Barcelona’s current financial troubles have been well reported over the past couple of seasons. It meant that this season, the usually free-spending La Liga giants parted with just £37million.

But while they were not able to spend big money, bringing big names through the door was still possible.

The situations of Cancelo and Felix at their respective clubs meant they were available on loan, and Barcelona snapped the pair up for the season.

Both men have performed well for their current side – Cancelo has three goals and four assists from right-back in all competitions, and Felix has scored eight times and assisted five.

Amid their useful roles for the third-placed La Liga side, both men have detailed their desire to remain at the Nou Camp permanently, the right-back making that known very recently.

That followed reports that he could be made available by Manchester City for as low as £13million.

That would be a steal, and would further rouse Barcelona to want to sign him permanently, something that Mundo Deportivo suggests has been made clear ‘on several occasions,’ and is true of Felix, too.

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Barcelona can’t afford £94million outlay

However, there is a big hitch in that plan, as it’s reported coming to an agreement regarding permanent deals for the pair is ‘impossible’ as they are ‘unaffordable’.

That’s because, contrary to recent reports, Cancelo will cost closer to £26million – remaining at the figure it’s said was discussed ‘months ago’ – and Felix will be around £68million, meaning for a total combined price of approximately £94million.

Amid their financial struggles, it’s no surprise that Barcelona can’t afford that.

They do have a plan in place which they hope will see them get both their stars back through the door, though.

Barcelona looking for further loan deals

Indeed, it’s said the agent of both men, Jorge Mendes, recently met with Barcelona president Joan Laporta to draw up an ‘action plan’ to resolve the future of the pair, which apparently has ‘all options on the table’.

That surely does not include the permanent signings of both, given Barca know they can’t get them, but the ‘most feasible route’ is both men returning to the club on loan.

It’s said that is the route that ‘will be worked on’ for both men. As such, the futures of both are back in the hands of Manchester City and Atletico Madrid.

For City, while Cancelo is under contract until 2027, they’ve loaned him out twice now, and continually allowing him to run his contract down away from the Etihad means he loses value.

That said, they’re likely to look for a place to offload him permanently before considering letting him leave on loan for a third time.

Felix also spent part of last season on loan at Chelsea before moving to Barca, but his contract length with Atletico is higher – until 2029 – so he’ll retain value for longer, and the La Liga side might let him go back to Barca, knowing that once they can buy him, they probably will.

Whatever happens, it’s said neither City or Atletico are ‘in the mood’ to get their players back, so if no sales can be agreed, loans might well be possible.

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