Barcelona are reportedly now in pole position to land Juventus defender Joao Cancelo, who had also attracted interest from Man City and Bayern Munich.
The right-back position has arguably been a problem area for the Catalan giants since Dani Alves left, as although several players have played in that role since his departure, they haven’t settled on one man in particular.
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Nelson Semedo appeared to be the solution, but on the basis of the speculation in the report below, it seems as though he hasn’t entirely convinced the reigning La Liga champions.
As noted by Goal Italy, via the paper edition of Corriere dello Sport, it has been suggested that Barcelona are now the front runners for Cancelo’s signature, with Juve valuing the Portuguese international between €55m-€60m.
It’s added that City were keen, but their efforts to try and include Danilo in a swap deal have ultimately led to talks falling short of reaching an agreement and so that could now be to Barca’s benefit.
Having splashed out €75m+ on Frenkie de Jong this summer, as per BBC Sport, coupled with ongoing speculation linking them with a move for Antoine Griezmann, according to Mundo Deportivo, it’s difficult to see how Barcelona are going to afford such a splurge.
Time will tell if it means making sacrifices and players also depart, but based on this report, it would appear as though they are certainly serious about signing Cancelo.
The 25-year-old enjoyed a bright start to his first season with Juventus last year, as had previously impressed during a loan spell with rivals Inter.
However, his form tailed off as the campaign progressed, namely down to fitness issues and inconsistent form, and so it seems as though Juve have decided that they’re willing to cash in and let him move on this summer.
