The powers that be at the Camp Nou have made their position crystal clear regarding the future of Portuguese defender Joao Cancelo. As the summer tran...
The powers that be at the Camp Nou have made their position crystal clear regarding the future of Portuguese defender Joao Cancelo. As the summer transfer window beckons, the Catalan giants are busy drawing up their shopping list, intent on adding more quality to a squad that already showed impressive grit last season. However, before they splash the cash on new acquisitions, they must first settle the futures of the two loanees currently wearing the Blaugrana jersey: Cancelo and Manchester United. �s Marcus Rashford. From what GoalZaza has gathered, the Englishman is packing his bags for a return to Old Trafford, as the gulf between his wage demands and Barcelona. �s financial reality has proved too wide. But for Cancelo, the story is different. There is a strong desire in the boardroom to keep the Portuguese international at the club. The Catalan giants have, however, set strict conditions. They are not willing to pay a premium for the player. The message from the club's hierarchy is clear: the deal must be on their terms or not at all. This is where the lion's share of the negotiations will take place, as Manchester City, his parent club, will demand a hefty fee for a player they consider one of the finest attacking fullbacks in the world. At the end of the day, Barcelona. �s financial team will be looking to structure any deal in a way that does not cripple their spending power. The coming weeks will reveal if the two clubs can find common ground. Should the deal fall through, the Nigerian international, Wilfred Ndidi, could be a name that resurfaces for a midfield reinforcement, as the club remains keen on bringing in a Super Eagles stalwart to provide balance to the pitch. Back home in Lagos, fans gathered at the popular Viewing Centre in Surulere will be debating this move with the usual passion. They will argue that Cancelo is a formidable player but that Barcelona should not break the bank for a defender when they have the young talent in their own La Masia. The discussion will be lively, with some shouting that the club should instead focus on signing a world class striker to compete for the UCL title. You will hear the elderly uncles quoting naira figures, translating the. ��30 million asking price into over. ��52 billion, declaring it too much. But the younger lads, those who follow the European game closely, will insist that Cancelo. �s intelligence on the pitch makes him worth every kobo. It is the kind of heated, knowledgeable football debate that only true Nigerian supporters can deliver, with the glory of Barcelona forever on their lips.
