Pep Guardiola denies Xavi's claim that Manchester City blocked Cancelo from moving to Barcelona.
Pep Guardiola has stated that Barcelona's boss, Xavi Hernandez, was misinformed about his claim that Manchester City blocked Cancelo from moving the LALIGA champions.
Cancelo pushed for a move away from Manchester City in the winter transfer window after his game time took a hit. He was wanted by a number of clubs but eventually joined Bayern Munich.
As Pulse Sports reported earlier, Xavi revealed Barcelona were offered Cancelo by the player's agent and were keen on landing the player, but the Premier League giants blocked the move. Guardiola has now come out to set the record straight.
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Xavi reveals why Cancelo did not join Barcelona in January
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What Guardiola said
The former Bayern Munich boss was speaking at a press conference on a golf course in Spain when he was questioned about his former player's statement.
He claimed that Xavi was wrong, as Barcelona never tabled an offer. Pep stated that they did not mind where the player ended up, saying even if Manchester United was the destination, he would have been allowed to go there.
"Xavi was misinformed. That is very far from reality. We decided that Joao had to leave and we didn't care where,” Guardiola said.
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The treble-winning manager with Barcelona had been heavily linked with the Chelsea job in April.
“As if he had gone to Manchester United, it's up to his agents. We didn't receive any offer from Barça. Is there a chance that he ends up dressing as a Blaugrana this summer? It's a matter of the club, of Txiki and of the player.”
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