At the start of the week, Manchester City fans were welcomed with the news of a new Joao Cancelo contract. The versatile defender has become one of Pep Guardiola’s most important players in recent seasons and the Portuguese is getting better game by game.
Joao Cancelo Contract: Important for Pep Guardiola
Portuguese Important for Pep
When Joao Cancelo joined Manchester City from Juventus in 2019, there was already a lot of pressure placed on his shoulders.
At just 24-years-old, he became the world’s most expensive right back when he penned a six-year deal worth £27.4 million, plus Danilo being sent the other way in part exchange, equalling to £60 million.
In his first season, Cancelo looked lightweight and appeared to struggle with the pace and physicality of the Premier League but since then, he has come on leaps and bounds and has become one of the first names on Guardiola’s ever-changing team sheet.
Signed as a right-back, the defender has also filled in on the left of defence and part of a back three, along with sitting in the defensive midfield role at times. None of the changes seem to affect him while his ability and range of passing is one of the best in the Premier League.
Described as a “diamond” by Guardiola, the Portuguese has found consistency in his game and a new level in which has made him almost undroppable.
He has adapted his game to the way that the manager likes his full-backs to play and has a license to roam, almost freely, around the pitch with purpose. The news of a new deal will be highly appreciated by the City fans.
Cancelo at City
Since his arrival in Manchester, Cancelo has played over 100 games and won three major trophies.
The defender was also named in the PFA’s 2020/21 Premier League Team of the Season and was an integral part as City reached their first-ever Champions League final, although he was named on the bench for the showdown against Chelsea.
This season, he provided a hat trick of assists in City’s 4-1 Champions League win over Club Brugge and even scored twice in the group stages.
He has also played the full 90 minutes in every Premier League game this season apart from City’s 2-0 loss against Crystal Palace, with only suspension or injury resulting in the defender losing his place in the starting line-up in all competitions.
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