Pep Guardiola reveals Joao Cancelo may make surprise return to Man City squad

Full-back hasn’t played for his parent club in 18 months after loans in LaLiga and Bundesliga

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Pep Guardiola revealed Joao Cancelo could make a shock return to the Manchester City side after 18 months in exile.

The full-back has not played for City since January 2023 after falling out with Guardiola and has since spent loan spells at Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

But the Portugal international is training with City’s first team now and may stay, with Guardiola revealing that so far in the transfer window, there has been no interest in signing the 30-year-old.

“Maybe [he will] stay, maybe go on loan, I don’t know yet,” said Guardiola. “He's training with us, behaving really well in the training sessions. He loves to play football. We will see.”

Asked directly if Cancelo could be back in his team, he replied: “It can happen.”

The former Juventus defender was a key player for Guardiola in the two-and-a-half years before losing his place in the side as he was twice voted a member of the PFA Team of the Year.

But while Cancelo struggled to adapt to a situation when he wasn’t in the team, the City manager said he never doubted his talent.

“In training we say ‘hi’ and talk,” Guardiola said. “About what's going to happen, it depends on his agents and the club. In the end, if he has to stay we will treat him like all the other players like we have done since I have been here. With respect, and try to take the best for his huge qualities that he has. I never doubt about his qualities one second. But I don't know what is going to happen.”

City will be without Rodri for their Premier League opener against Chelsea on Sunday. The midfielder, who was injured in the final of Euro 2024, returned to training this week but is not fit to be involved.

Guardiola is not yet sure if Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones, who also began training after the Community Shield, will be in contention to play at Stamford Bridge.

“I don’t know,” he said. “They had just two or three training sessions but they arrive fit and in good shape.”

City will be without the injured Oscar Bobb, who will be out for three or four months with a broken leg, while Kalvin Phillips is set to complete his loan move to Ipswich.