Manchester City has derailed FC Barcelona's transfer plans according to SPORT, which cited anonymous sources.

Joao Cancelo joined the Catalans on loan on deadline day of the summer transfer window last year.

His 2023/2024 season brought mixed fortunes as the Blaugrana ceded its La Liga and Spanish Super Cup titles to bitter rivals Real Madrid, and was also knocked out of the Champions League quarterfinals with Cancelo at fault during a 4-1, last 16 second leg defeat at the Montjuic Stadium administered by Paris Saint-Germain.

Still, Cancelo was the natural right back that now former head coach Xavi Hernandez had lacked, and he did a respectable job for the most part filling in on the other flank when the injured Alejandro Balde had to undergo season-ending surgery.

Cancelo has talked in the press about how he is happy in the Catalan capital, and how would like to make his loan move permanent.

Thanks to falling out with Barca legend and modern-day City tactician Pep Guardiola, returning to the Premier League giants isn't an option.

This will force the Abu Dhabi-backed outfit to put Cancelo on the market, but much to the chagrin of Barca, it is only interested in an outright sale for cash according to SPORT.

President Joan Laporta's plan was to have Cancelo in the squad on loan for another season with an option to buy him at the close of the 2024/2025 campaign.

Yet as City already has two offers on the table for Cancelo from Saudi Arabia, it would prefer to cash in on the 30-year-old currently starring at the European Championships with Portugal.

Cancelo hasn't given his approval to either of the offers, but SPORT reports that City is "confident that one of the Arab clubs will be able to seduce Cancelo with a multimillion-dollar offer so that he will finally accept this football adventure".

If Barca is unable to hold on to Cancelo, this will be good news for La Masia graduate Hector Fort who can step up to the plate to impress Xavi's successor Hansi Flick.

Fort was one of the breakout stars of a season to forget last time out, and like Cancelo proved himself to be a right back more than capable of also playing on the left.