Why Barcelona deleted a social media post about Joao Cancelo’s Manchester City future | OneFootball

Reasoning behind Barcelona’s decision to delete social media posts around Joao Cancelo’s club future have now surfaced, according to a new report.

Over the course of the weekend, the La Liga giants appeared to indicate the end of their association with the Manchester City defender following the conclusion of his 12-month loan agreement from the Etihad club.

Whilst that is strictly true, and Cancelo is formally once again a member of Pep Guardiola’s squad, the wider belief within the game is that Barcelona will look to revive their connection to the Portugal international via a loan or permanent deal this summer.

Manchester City are understood to be preferring a permanent exit for the outcast full-back in the coming weeks and months, despite the defender under contract at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2027.

But despite the chaos that ensued around Barcelona’s club statement over the weekend, there was some very valid reasoning behind the quick turnaround from the La Liga giants’ social media team.

According to a new report from ESPN, FC Barcelona deleted their club statement saying farewell to João Cancelo following his 12-month loan at the La Liga side as they retain hope of re-signing the player beyond the ongoing summer transfer market.

It is explained that Barcelona’s hierarchy remain in constant contact with Cancelo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, pending clarity on their financial situation. While it is understood that Manchester City would prefer a permanent exit, Barca are claimed to be eyeing a new loan.

It remains unknown as to how much Manchester City would be willing to sell Joao Cancelo for in the coming weeks, but it is almost certain that the eventual price tag of any sale will not reflect the reality of his contractual situation with the club.

Whilst the player’s agent Jorge Mendes will no doubt be in constant dialogue with Manchester City officials, Cancelo himself will be solely focussed on events at international level and the ongoing European Championships in Germany.

Cancelo and his Portugal teammates overcame a mammoth challenge presented by Slovenia in the last-16 of the competition on Monday night, progressing into a quarter-final meeting with France via a penalty shoot-out win.