Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo has joined Bayern Munich on loan until the end of the season; deal includes an option to buy with the German champions long-term admirers of the 28-year-old; Cancelo posted a goodbye message on social media saying "once a Cityzen, always a Cityzen"
Wednesday 1 February 2023 10:35, UK
Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo has completed a Deadline Day loan move to Bayern Munich, insisting he wants to play more, rather than a rift with Pep Guardiola, that saw him leave.
The deal is an initial loan with an option to buy the full-back for more than £61m (€70m).
Cancelo posted a goodbye message on his Instagram page on Tuesday which read: "Once a Cityzen, always a Cityzen. Thank you."
Ruben Dias, Ederson and former City player Oleksandr Zinchenko were among the first to post supportive messages in reply.
The Portuguese international has had limited game time since returning from the World Cup, with Pep Guardiola changing the shape of his side.
Cancelo started 36 times for City in the Premier League last season, but has had a restricted role at City this term.
During his time in Manchester, Cancelo won two league titles and was twice named in the Premier League Team of the Year.
Cancelo later said at a press conference: "I've not had much game time in the past few weeks, which influenced my decision. There was speculation that my relationship with Pep was not the best, but fact is I wanted to play more.
"I really wanted to embark on this new adventure at such a club with such a big history. It's a dream for me. I'm very happy to be here and to show my footballing qualities.
"I know that this club, this team, lives for titles and wins titles every year. I'm also driven by the hunger for success."
Bayern have failed to win a game since the World Cup restart, starting the year with three consecutive 1-1 draws against Leipzig, Cologne and Eintracht Frankfurt. The team's Bundesliga lead has since shrunk from four points to one. Union Berlin, Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund are all within three points.
"We've signed him on loan now and have the possibility of signing him permanently in the summer," said Bayern's sports director Hasan Salihamidzic.
"Joao is a player we've been thinking about for a while now because we very much appreciate his qualities. He's the optimal fit in our system with his attacking style of play and dynamism, and his mentality and experience fit very well in our team."
"FC Bayern is a great club, one of the best in the world, and it's enormous motivation for me to now play alongside these extraordinary players in a team," Cancelo said.
"I know that this club, this team lives for titles and wins titles every year. I'm also driven by the hunger for success. I'll give my best for FC Bayern."
Sky Germany's Uli Koehler:
"It was a surprising deal - no one knew about it - but Bayern were keen on Joao Cancelo for a long time. They were always in contact for the last couple of years because they want to have him.
"That's maybe the difference to Chelsea - Bayern knows the player that they want to sign.
"He was just at the press conference and he is very keen on it. Tomorrow there is a cup game so he has said he is ready to play. I don't know if Julian Nagelsmann will do that, but it's a big deal for Bayern.
"He's a very experienced player, they had problems on the wing side on the right so it's a perfect deal for Bayern Munich.
"Cancelo denied an argument with Pep Guardiola. But on the other hand, he was asked if he was talking with Pep about Bayern because he had a very successful time here at Munich [as manager]. He denied that, too.
"He said they were short of time, so I think something may have happened that he doesn't want to explain, which I can understand because he is only on loan. Maybe he has to go back to England at the end of the season, so that's why he has the doors open still.
"But Bayern need him. If he performs well, it's a very good deal for them, especially because Benjamin Pavard is out of form. He didn't play much at the World Cup and he wants to go to Barcelona. Nobody understands why when he's not performing.
"Then Noussair Mazraoui, the player from Morocco, he played at the World Cup right after a Covid injury and he has heart problems now.
"So they need him desperately. Joao Cancelo is the right man at the right time and at the right club, I hope."
Who will be on the move this winter? The January transfer window closes at 11pm in England and midnight in Scotland on Tuesday January 31, 2023.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
