João Cancelo Joins Bayern Munich – Our Thoughts! | W&L

Hello Team FD and welcome back to Winners and Losers. This is very much a bonus episode. Joseph and I just shot a video on Saint-Denis, Weston McKennie et al. And as soon as we came out of the studio, David Ornstein dropped the bomb that Gilles Cancelo was on his way to Bavaria. And we were like, God's sake! So we've jumped back in the studio and we're reacting to that in a very raw fashion. So it looks like he's going to Bayern Munich, Joseph. On loan with an option to buy of 70 million euros. And first of all, before we talk about how Bayern might use him, where he slots into that starting lineup, how City will miss him, thoughts and feelings? Do you know what? Pep clearly wasn't lying when he said he didn't want to win the Prem. What is going on here? Loaning him out on the eve of deadline day as well. Totally bizarre, in my opinion. Let's look at it from a Manchester City point of view. First and foremost, though, because he has started 16 games in the Prem this season. But recently, Rico Lewis has taken that berth as he hasn't started any of their last three games. Kyle Walker is also playing in that position. On the left-hand side, Nathan Ake has become quite prominent. It feels like, to me though, something must have happened behind the scenes here. Yes. Must have happened. It's very difficult to speculate, isn't it? Because we don't know the inner workings of that Manchester City dressing room. It's not difficult to speculate. It's difficult to be accurate. Yeah, it's difficult to be accurate. But look, this is a player who has been in the last two PFA teams of the year. Absolutely essential. One of the best wing-backs and full-backs in world football flat out over the last 18 months. And he's left on loan on the eve of deadline day. For me, something must have happened behind the scenes. There must have been some sort of fallout. And I think this makes the sale of Oleksandr Zinchenko even worse. This does feel personal rather than business. Because even if he is, I don't know, not aligned with Pep, not meeting certain standards behind closed doors, if he and Pep have had a fallout, you'd think for the sakes of salvaging their Premier League campaign, they would try and build those bridges and reassess in the summer. So it feels like, I don't know, it is an explosive transfer. I don't think that's a misleading term to use. Anyway, that aside, City are losing an awful lot of creativity, aren't they? At a time when goals aren't exactly in short supply, but the team is not firing on all cylinders, sort of getting themselves through games, aren't they? Seven assists last campaign, that was third in City's team. Obviously, Rico Lewis has made adjusting to a Pep Guardiola system from a full-back perspective look relatively easy. That's because he has the potential to be a generational talent. He is looking absolutely insane in that position. So that might gloss over it to an extent, but they are now relying on him to maintain the sort of form that he's demonstrated in the last couple of months. Obviously, you have Kyle Walker, so there's depth there, but Sergio Gomez, a left-back, huge downgrade from João Cancelo, Nathan Ake, has of course played out there in recent weeks, played out there to reasonable effect, but it does stunt their attack somewhat. But they have been sort of using a lopsided back four. Nathan Ake has been tucking in the two centre-backs with John Stones playing right back on occasion. They've formed a back three and it's sort of enabled Rico Lewis to roam. Maybe that'll be the tactical ploy moving forward. I'm not sure. Listen, I've backed Pep Guardiola to get over this. I admire his bravery to do this right now. Let's have it right. At least Pep is consistent with his messaging. If you're not living up to his standards, you're gone. I do like that, but this is going to be a hammer blow to City fans. Let's have it right. He has been the most well-rounded full-back, probably in world football over the last two seasons. It's a massive confidence boost for Arsenal. If I was an Arsenal fan, I'd be sitting there rubbing my hands together thinking, bloody hell, that's a weapon that City have just lost. Absolutely. And after losing Zinchenko in the summer, that's probably their two best full-back options on the left-hand side, out the door in the space of six months. And they're two full-backs who are experts at stepping and at being inverted, at solidifying them in the field and making them less impregnable, or more impregnable, in transition. So yeah, who else can step into that degree? Rico Lewis looks like he might be able to do it. Gomez has been inconsistent when he's been given a chance. It's unbelievable. I just really don't understand it. It must be something that's gone on behind the scenes. City fans, you might know more than us, if there has been a falling out, please do let us know in the comments below. I think we should talk about it from a Bayern perspective. By the time this goes live, all light probably would have been shed on it. But do you know what? I want to talk about this from a Bayern perspective. Okay, let's go. They must be buzzing. He's not cup-tied. He is available for the Champions League. He would only be cup-tied for the Super Cup, meaning that he can come in and have an immediate impact against PSG next week. And let's have it right, that is a huge tie for Bayern Munich. They have massively missed Masraoui's ability to drop into that midfield and play a little bit tighter when Pavard's there. It looks like Pavard might be off in the summer. Masraoui's obviously had a tough problem. I think that's pretty nailed on. Pavard has been pretty bullish with some of the things he's said in the press, right? So if you're a Bayern fan, you're looking at this thinking, bloody hell, six months of serious Champions League push. This writes off the Bundesliga. We may as well forget about that immediately. And to be honest with you, it wouldn't be a massive surprise, would it, to see them make that move permanent? I know it'd be a really good fee for Man City. I think €70 million for a 28, 29-year-old is very good money in the full-back area. So it would first and foremost be a good fee. But in this next six months, Nagelsmann, he must be running around whooping and cheering his office. He's just got a huge right-back upgrade for no cost, maybe the best full-back in world football to come in and have an impact in the Champions League. I now put Bayern Munich as one of the favourites for the Champions League. Wouldn't we have him close? No, I'm just thinking of other players that have the tactical versatility of Joao Cancelo. And it is a very, very short list. And like you've said, they don't have to give in to wage demands when it comes to Pavard. I know him staying is not completely off the table, but that weakens his position, strengthens theirs, I guess. Wow. Wow, wow, wow. I can't believe it. What's happened there? What has happened? I'm trying to think where to go with this, but my trail of thought is escaping me. What has happened? Team, what do you think to this transfer? Let us know in the comments below. What does this mean for Manchester City's attempt to usurp Arsenal at the summit of the Premier League? Do you think we are overreacting or do you think we've pretty much got it spot on? Joe thinks it might cost them the league. I mean, I said on last week's show, I think Arsenal are going to go on to win it anyway. But I just think that if you're Arsenal, you're absolutely buzzing. It's just such a weapon taken out of their armour and you already took Zinchenko and you took Jesus. Just slowly, they're getting picked apart. What's happening? Who knows? Maybe Manchester City are preparing an absolute worldy deal for someone totally unexpected. Very quickly, is there anyone you think they could go in for in the dying embers of the window? Don't be too afraid of the bus here. It's too late. It's too late in the window. We've got less than 48 hours until the window slams shut. I cannot believe, it's like 36 hours the window's going to be closed. There's no way City are now thinking, okay, let's hit the market. They must be happy with what they've got in the left-back slot with Xhaka and Sergio Gomez. They must be happy with what they've got in the right-back slot, Rico Luis and Walker, because there's no way they're bringing a left-back in. The quality of Cancelo in 36 hours. I don't think this derails their title bid all that much. It doesn't totally derail it, but it definitely hampers it. I think Rico Luis is going to go from strength to strength, will benefit from the minutes and people. I think this might be a deal that matures quite well. I'm going to put it out there. I've just had a bit of a U-turn, sat in a chair for the last seven, eight minutes. Big U-turn. But like I said, what do you lot think? Let us know in the comments below. Please stay tuned for the delayed losers clip discussing Pedro Poirot for the most part, which now seems pretty, I don't know, not that interesting, but no, please do stay tuned for it. Like and subscribe, and we'll catch you next time. Goodbye.