A year ago
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have opened talks to sign struggling Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo.
Cancelo, 29, has had a difficult season away from the Etihad after being deemed redundant by Pep Guardiola.
After losing his place in City's starting XI, Cancelo was loaned to German giants Bayern Munich in January for the remainder of the campaign.
He helped Bayern win an 11th consecutive Bundesliga title on the final day against Borussia Dortmund but is unlikely to stay at the Allianz Arena.
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Bayern have the option to exercise Cancelo's loan deal for £61m in perpetuity, but The Mirror reported in March that the Bavarian club had decided not to trigger it. Cancelo now faces an uncertain future, with City well positioned at both left-back and right-back.
Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji have impressed this season as a left-back in the City defence, while Kyle Walker and Rico Lewis offer Guardiola options on the right.
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As a result, City could look to sell Cancelo this summer.
Arsenal 'contacted' about Cancelo deal
Premier League runners-up Arsenal have always been linked with a move for Cancelo this summer, as have La Liga champions Barcelona.
Transfer specialist Romano has now confirmed that the Gunners have been contacted about a potential deal for the Portugal international. Advertisement
He told GiveMeSport:
"As for Cancelo, yes, they are interested. They have had contacts and they have a very good relationship with these agents.
"So there was a conversation about the possibility of signing Cancelo."
It remains to be seen whether City will be happy to sell rivals Arsenal, having already allowed Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to move to the Emirates.
These two signings have helped turn Arsenal into true title contenders and reports earlier this season claimed that City have introduced a new rule that bans further sales of their players to the Gunners.
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What did Cancelo say? Speaking in February, Cancelo denied having an affair with Guardiola prior to his move to Bayern.
"As I said before, he [Guardiola] figured out how to play, after the World Cup, in which he started playing with a full-back more, where I also play, and he likes what he does. he saw with Rico and Nathan," he said.
"I respect his decision because I have to and they are a team of great players.
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"But I think a player is always a little selfish. Every player wants to feel important, wants to play and anyone who says otherwise is lying. A competitive player, like me, hungry for titles, just wants to play.
"Like Pep said, I need to play to be happy. It's not about demeaning my teammates, because others are on the bench to play. But I think I deserved to play and he didn't. ."
When asked about his future, Cancelo added that he is not sure what will happen this summer.
"Bayern has the right to buy, I don't know if they will, but when I'm here, I'll do my best," he added.
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