Surprise as Portuguese and Manchester City left back Joao Cancelo is set to complete a loan deal to Bayern Munich.
Manchester City defender João Cancelo is set to join German champions Bayern Munich on loan in a surprising late January transfer, according to sources close to the situation.
Cancelo, instrumental in back-to-back Premier League title wins and named in the PFA Team of the Year for the past two seasons, has struggled for form this campaign and seen his game time reduced significantly.
With Nathan Ake solidifying his place as first-choice left-back after a series of impressive performances, and teenager Rico Lewis emerging as a standout performer on the right, Cancelo has become surplus to requirements at the Etihad Stadium.
The Athletic reports that the former Juventus and Inter Milan player will move to Bayern before the transfer deadline on Tuesday, with the deal expected to include a buy option.
There is currently no word on whether City have a replacement lined up for the Portuguese international, who still has four years remaining on his contract.
City paid a hefty £55 million to sign Cancelo from Juventus in 2019, with Brazilian full-back Danilo going the other way as part of the deal. In his time at the club, Cancelo has made 154 appearances in all competitions, won three trophies, and helped revolutionize the role of the full-back in modern football.