After the start of preseason practice, Joao Cancelo is the first Manchester City player to share a message on social media, encouraging followers to ‘forget the rest’.
Cancelo left City in January after losing favour, choosing to join Bayern Munich on a temporary basis rather than compete for a starting position. Cancelo’s future is uncertain as a result of Bayern’s decision to decline the option to make the transfer permanent.
Cancelo may struggle to play frequently if he stays at the Etihad because City seem to have abandoned a full-back-heavy system. He could also still depart during the transfer window, either permanently or on loan, but for now, he will be expected to join the senior team this week for the preseason tour.
Cancelo is the first player to post on social media this week; no others have done so since the team’s return on Monday and no film or images have been made public by the team. The Portuguese’s article, however, omits any reference of City and instead contains a mysterious message.
Cancelo had been working out before City reported back, joining midfielder Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United in a camp with Declan Rice and Rafael Leao.
His Instagram post included video from that camp, showing Cancelo dressed in Portugal’s national team practise gear, and the mysterious message “Believe in yourself and forget the rest. “Preseason is now.”
On Wednesday, City will take off for Japan, where fans will be able to learn which players have been selected for the preseason tour of Asia.
If included, Cancelo would be one of several first-team players who are rumoured to be leaving the Etihad. Aymeric Laporte and Bernardo Silva are reportedly thinking about leaving, while there are rumours that Kyle Walker and Riyad Mahrez have already made up their minds to quit.