Pep Guardiola 'surprise' decision to accept Cancelo offer justified after Man City source's reveal - pundit

Man City rarely go back on their decision to sell a player in the transfer market.8

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former West Ham striker Frank McAvennie believes that Pep Guardiola is too stubborn to allow Joao Cancelo to fight his way back into the team.

Football Insider exclusively revealed on Friday (4 August) that Man City want to sell Cancelo in the final weeks of the summer window.

It is unlikely the 29-year-old will win manager Guardiola back around despite his involvement in the treble-winners’ pre-season preparations.

A well-placed source has told Football Insider it is a “surprise” to see Cancelo still at the club ahead of Man City’s Super Cup final against Sevilla.

With the likely sale on the cards, McAvennie believes that Cancelo can succeed elsewhere once he leaves Man City.

“Once Guardiola makes up his mind he’ll never change it,” he told Football Insider.

“It is a difficult one because Cancelo is a really good player, but it is understandable if he continues to disrupt the dressing room.

“He is a great player and Guardiola knows that if he is not playing him week in and week out in the Man City team, then he must let him do that elsewhere.

“I think he's a good signing for Barcelona, I think is a really good signing because they've not really sorted out their defence, so he will be a great fit in La Liga and under Xavi.”

In other news, Man City open preliminary talks to sign Jeremy Doku