Guardiola Hints at Cancelo's Potential Return to Manchester City

In a surprising turn of events, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has indicated that Joao Cancelo could make a return to the squad after an 18-month absence. The full-back has not featured for City since January 2023, following a fallout with Guardiola, and has since been on loan at Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Currently training with the first team, Cancelo's future remains uncertain, but Guardiola noted that there has been no interest from other clubs during the transfer window. Guardiola praised Cancelo's training performance, stating, “He's training with us, behaving really well in the training sessions.” When asked about the possibility of Cancelo rejoining the team, Guardiola responded, “It can happen.” Despite the challenges Cancelo faced while out of the squad, Guardiola emphasized that he never doubted the player's talent and expressed a willingness to integrate him back into the team if circumstances allow. As Manchester City prepares for their Premier League opener against Chelsea, they will be without key midfielder Rodri, who is recovering from an injury sustained during the Euro 2024 final. Although Rodri has returned to training, he is not yet fit to play. Guardiola also remains uncertain about the availability of Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, and John Stones, who have recently resumed training after the Community Shield. The upcoming match against Chelsea will test City’s depth as they navigate player fitness and potential squad changes.