FC Barcelona have announced the signing of one of Xavi Hernandez’s long term transfer targets.
FC Barcelona have finally been able to announce the signing of one of head coach Xavi Hernandez’s long-term transfer targets.
The manager has chased Joao Cancelo since the January transfer window, but his Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola reportedly blocked a loan move despite a training ground bust-up with the Portuguese.
Cancelo instead headed to Bayern Munich on a temporary basis. But some eight months later, Barca have at last got their man as part of another loan deal that will expire on June 30, 2024.
Cancelo arrives to play for the Blaugrana with his fellow Portugal international and Jorge Mendes client Joao Felix, who also penned a 10-month agreement on deadline day.
The pair met at a hotel in Barcelona city center on Friday afternoon, and then headed to the Joan Gamper CT together to link up with Mendes who was there waiting for them at their new club’s training headquarters.
After passing a medical, the compatriots signed their contracts with Felix’s transfer announced first at around 22.15 local time in the Catalan capital.
Shortly after, at roughly 22.45, Cancelo’s deal was revealed through a short e-mail to the press and social media posts.
Though there have been reports that Xavi did not ask for Felix to be brought in, he has made no secret of his wish to boast a natural right back.
Last term, center back Jules Kounde had to provide cover in the role with the now-injured Ronald Araujo doing likewise at the start of 2023/2024 season.
On Sunday afternoon, Xavi reportedly berated his captain Sergi Roberto for the part he played in manning the position but helping Barca squander a 2-0 lead at Villarreal.
Barca eventually went 3-2 down then prevailed through a 4-3 win. Yet it was made abundantly clear that they cannot hope to challenge on the continent without boasting a proven talent at right back like Cancelo, who already has experience in Spain thanks to a three-year spell at Valencia.
Cancelo and Felix are expected to train with their new teammates on Saturday morning, but it will be a push to get them registered and therefore cleared to play in Barca’s last fixture before the international break away at Osasuna the following day.
