Manchester City to sell major star - dropping price by £40 MILLION: report

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola looks dejected during a League Cup match in September 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester City are prepared to let a huge star leave for less than half of what they originally wanted.

The Citizens are yet to move in the transfer market this summer, with ESPN claiming that manager Pep Guardiola would rather keep hold of the squad he has, only bringing in replacements for outgoing stars rather than making marquee buys.

But along with rumours that Ederson and Kevin De Bruyne are set to leave for Saudi Arabia, one other superstar has been linked with an exit – for significantly less money than Manchester City originally demanded. 

Belgium Euro 2024 squad Kevin De Bruyne of Belgium reacts during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Ukraine and Belgium at Stuttgart Arena on June 26, 2024 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Kevin De Bruyne may well leave City this summer (Image credit: Getty Images)

Italian publication Calciomercato says that Joao Cancelo's asking price has been reduced from €70 million to €25-30m in a bid to move the Portuguese on.

Cancelo was a key member of the City squad under Guardiola, playing as an inverted left-back in several trophy wins but fell out with the Catalan manager during the club's Treble-winning season. 

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Cancelo was moved on loan to Bayern Munich for the rest of 2022/23 before spending last season on loan with Barcelona. It's believed that the Blaugrana would like to have Cancelo back this season but simply cannot afford him.

Arsenal have also been historically linked with a move for the 30-year-old, who is now being touted to re-join Inter Milan, who he spent a year on loan with in 2017/18.

Joao Cancelo of Portugal in action against France in the quarter-final of Euro 2024

Joao Cancelo in action for Portugal against France (Image credit: Alamy)

In FourFourTwo's view, Cancelo moving on is a matter of when, rather than if. It's understood that City want a permanent sale rather than another loan, too. 

Cancelo is valued at €25 million by Transfermarkt

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Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.

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