Joao Cancelo, the 29-year-old Portuguese international, has breathed new life into his career with his recent transfer from Manchester City to Barcelona on deadline day. Despite his name being on manager Xavi Hernandez’s radar since January, a transfer seemed uncertain for a while. Concerns lingered that the deal might collapse during the summer transfer window. However, Cancelo ultimately made the move to Barcelona on deadline day and has quickly made a positive impact. In a recent interview with Mundo Deportivo, Cancelo shared his thoughts on joining Barcelona and his seamless integration into the team.
When asked if leaving Manchester City for Barcelona was a risky decision, Cancelo responded affirmatively, acknowledging the inherent risk in such a move. He stated, “Yes, it’s risky, but my life has always been a risk. I always like to take risks. For me, they are now the best team in the world, and coming here was a risk, yes, but it’s Barcelona, and when you receive an opportunity from Barça, you have to seize it.”
Cancelo also expressed his gratitude towards Pep Guardiola, his teammates, and everyone at Manchester City. He recognized the pivotal role they played in his career, saying, “I have to thank everyone at City. I’ve had the best moments of my career there so far. I had the chance to be in last year’s FIFA World XI, which was another dream for me. And that’s thanks to my teammates at City, the coach, Pep, and his staff, who are a very good group, very united, and you can see that.”
Looking at the bigger picture, Cancelo is now virtually assured of regular playing time with the Barcelona first team, especially since Sergino Dest was loaned to PSV Eindhoven for the season, leaving the club with a shortage of right-backs. Cancelo is determined to flourish in the iconic Blaugrana colors as he adapts to life at Barcelona, leaving behind his past challenges at Manchester City and his time at Bayern Munich.