After falling out of favour under Pep Guardiola, Joao Cancelo will spend at least the rest of the season in the Bundesliga.
Bayern Munich have completed a loan deal for Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo and could make the move permanent at the end of the season.
The Portugal international has initially joined the Bundesliga champions until the end of the campaign, with Bayern board member Hasan Salihamidzić confirming the move could be permanent after that.
Cancelo was a star player for City last season but has fallen out of favor this campaign as manager Pep Guardiola has preferred the likes of Kyle Walker, Nathan Ake, John Stones and even 18-year-old Rico Lewis for full-back roles.
He started more Premier League games than any other City outfielder last season (36), had more touches (3,908) and attempted more passes than anyone else in the league (2,951) as they won the title.
Cancelo told Bayern’s official website: “FC Bayern is a great club, one of the best in the world, and it’s a huge motivation for me to play now alongside these extraordinary players in the team.
“I know that this club, this team lives for titles and wins titles every year. I am also hungry for success. I will give my best for FC Bayern.”
Cancelo has two goals and four assists in 26 appearances in all competitions this season but has been an unused substitute in the three games since City’s 2-1 derby defeat to Manchester United.
Bayern have moved for the 28-year-old in a bid to reverse their poor form since the Bundesliga resumed after the mid-season break.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side drew all three of their games 1-1, against RB Leipzig, Cologne and Eintracht Frankfurt, leaving them just one point ahead of Union Berlin at the top of the table.
Bayern will be without Noussair Mazraoui for several weeks after the Moroccan contracted an infection following a bout of COVID-19.
Benjamin Pavard played at right-back against Leipzig and Cologne, with Josip Stanisic replacing him for Eintracht’s stalemate.
Cancelo could make his Bayern debut in Wednesday’s DFB-Pokal clash with Mainz.
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