MANCHESTER:
Manchester City have confirmed that Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo has signed a two-year contract extension, the club said in a release on Tuesday. The 27-year-old’s new deal means he will remain at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2027.
“Manchester City is a fantastic club, so I am incredibly happy to have signed this new agreement. City players have everything they need to reach their full potential, with amazing facilities, world-class teammates and an incredible manager who pushes us every single day. There is nowhere better to play football and it’s a pleasure to work here,” he said. “I have so much I want to achieve before my career ends, and Manchester City offers me the best chance of fulfilling my ambitions. This new contract means I now have complete focus on improving my game and winning more trophies with this team,” Cancelo was quoted as saying by Manchester City’s official website.
City’s Director of Football Txiki Begiristain said, “Joao is the ultimate professional. He absolutely loves football and applies himself every single day in a bid to become better. He sets really high standards, and any young player should observe the way Joao applies himself if they want a blueprint for success.
“He is so versatile. Whether he plays right-back, left-back, or in midfield, he operates at the same high level. That is a dream for a manager. I am really happy he has signed, and I can’t wait to see him develop in the coming years.”
After coming through Benfica’s youth academy, Cancelo began playing for the club’s reserve side in 2012 and was promoted to the first team two years later. He was subsequently loaned to La Liga club Valencia during the 2014–15 season, with Los Ches making the move permanent in the summer of 2015. Cancelo was on loan to Serie A team Inter Milan during the 2017–18 season, in which he was included in Serie A’s Team of the Year.
Cancelo’s performances sparked the interest of Italian rivals Juventus, who signed him in 2018 for a reported fee of 40.4 million.
Cancelo made his senior debut for Portugal in 2016 after previously being capped by the nations’s all youth team levels, winning 75 caps and scoring three goals overall. (IANS)
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