When Gary and Phil Neville personally suggested Joao Cancelo on multiple occasions, Manchester United‘s retiring chief executive passed up the opportunity to recruit the full-back.
Cancelo in Pep Guardiola’s Side
Instead, the Portuguese international joined Manchester City, where he has just signed a new two-year contract extension after a promising start to life in the Premier League.
After observing Cancelo’s improvement during his brief coaching stint with LaLiga giants Valencia, Gary Neville brought United’s attention to him. Cancelo eventually signed for Juventus before a major £60 million move to City in 2019. Woodward was continually snubbed, and Cancelo eventually signed for Juventus before a large £60 million move to City in 2019.
Cancelo has established himself as a crucial component in Pep Guardiola’s side since he arrived in the Premier League, and he has now been rewarded with enhanced conditions on his £80,000-per-week contract.
Fans Against the Opting
In 106 appearances, the 27-year-old has scored seven goals and added 14 assists, as well as won three major championships. After his new extension, his contract will now continue through the summer of 2027.
Cancelo told the club website: “It made complete sense for me to extend my contract here, also for my family as well. I feel great in this club and my teammates help me to improve every day.”
“It’s an amazing group here. I think we all have a great relationship with each other, and I met some great friends in the team that I didn’t know before.”
Fans, on the other hand, believe it is unimportant that the Red Devils missed out on the star full-back since he would not have reached his full potential or matured as well at Old Trafford as he has at City under Guardiola.
Many fans reacted angrily to rumors that United had decided against signing Cancelo by saying: “No player we’ve signed gets better than when we signed them, so it hardly matters. He would never have become the player he is now if he’d gone to us.”
Another fan said: “I have not seen a player develop since 2014 so I doubt we would have seen the Cancelo of City at United. Thanks to the Glazers, brand United. We are ruining careers.”
One other fan stated: “Difference is, we had Ole, they have Guardiola. Cancelo would have been a flop at Utd.”
Read: Mason Greenwood virtually rejected by his Manchester United teammates
