Manchester City Reportedly Receives Lucrative Offer from Saudi Arabia for Star Player

After securing their fourth consecutive Premier League title, Manchester City have opted to make minor adjustments to their squad during the summer transfer window, rather than any major overhaul.

Brazilian winger Savinho has been their only major signing to date, although the club are working to finalise an emotional homecoming for midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer from Barcelona. 

Julian Alvarez has the club’s big departure this summer, with the striker joining Atletico Madrid in a £82miillion move, but there could be one more significant sale before next week’s transfer deadline day. 

VIDEO How Guardiola Has Invented A New Position For Rico Lewis

Portuguese defender Joao Cancelo has not played for the club since January 2023 when he was loaned to Bayern Munich for the second half of the 2022/23 campaign before spending last season at Barcelona.

This came after reports that the 30-year-old had fallen out with Pep Guardiola over a lack of playing time, while the manager’s playing style has evolved to a place where he does not rely on traditional full-backs in his defence, often deploying centre-backs in that position.

Despite returning to the City squad this summer, Cancelo now appears to be heading towards a permanent exit. Fabrizio Romano reports on X that Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have made a formal bid to sign the player and the club are in negotiations with both City and Cancelo’s representatives.

Get FourFourTwo Newsletter

The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

This comes after a fee of €38million for the player and a wage pack of £360,000 per week were mooted in reports coming out of Saudi Arabia, where Al-Hilal’s Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus has made his fellow countryman his top priority in the transfer market.

In FourFourTwo’s opinion, it has been clear that Cancelo, as talented as he is, does not have a future at the Etihad while Guardiola is in charge, so this offer in excess of his Tranfermarkt valuation of €25million looks to be a viable solution for all parties.

More Manchester City stories

Revealed: The crazy reason that Ilkay Gundogan is re-signing for Manchester City

Manchester City report: Private jet booked for shock next signing

Champion League football in the Arctic Circle? Sub-zero temperatures and less than two hours of daylight may await Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa or Arsenal (again)