Manchester City star João Cancelo has joined Bayern Munich on loan until the end of the season. Not exactly the kind of transfer business we were expecting this January.
The Portuguese full-back, midfielder and jack of all trades who has been one of City‘s best players in recent years, not to mention one of the most highly-regarded talents in the Premier League full stop, departs from the club on a six-month contract.
Even more surprisingly, the deal includes an option for the Bundesliga club to make the transfer permanent for a reported fee of around £61.5 million come the summer transfer window.
And just like that, one of the Blue’s brightest sparks is out the door.
Joao Cancelo has joined Bayern Munich on loan until the end of the season.
As the reports of his imminent departure first broke, The Athletic detailed how the 28-year-old’s relationship with manager Pep Guardiola broke down due to a number of reasons.
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In addition to being substituted in the game against Chelsea, the dynamic wing-back is said to have walked straight from the team bus to the dugout for one game and failed to pay attention in team meetings.
It is thought that the Spanish coach had a conversation with him not long after the series of incidents which sealed his exit, despite being a firm favourite among fans and regular first-team player since 2019.
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The German giants unveiled him in his new colours on Tuesday morning.
“I’ve not had much game time in the past few weeks, which influenced my decision. It has nothing to do with my relationship with Pep. I really wanted to embark on this new adventure at such a club with such a big history. It’s a dream for me”
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Referencing a clip he released on Instagram earlier this week, he said: “The video may sound like a farewell, but it wasn’t meant that way. We have to see what these five months will bring, I want to be here with a clear head. We will then talk about it again at the end of the season.”
Though it still remains unclear, with the squad depth that the current champions possess, it seems unlikely that the club will bring anyone in as a replacement with hours left of deadline day.
Unsurprisingly, both the move itself and the swiftness with which it was completed has left some City fans scratching their heads.
While many seem to understand Pep’s reasons, especially when Cancelo himself expressed the desire to leave and his presence in the dressing room clearly became an obstacle, others aren’t so convinced.
Credit: Twitter
What do you reckon: right move to let him go or should the blue half of Manchester be doing everything they can to make sure he sees out his contract which runs until 2027?
Featured Image — Man City/Bayern Munich (via Twitter)
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
31st January 2023 
