Pepe tells Barcelona star to join Real Madrid

Barcelona full-back Joao Cancelo has revealed Portugal teammate Pepe has told him he should consider joining Real Madrid.

Cancelo signed for Barca on loan from Manchester City on deadline day of the summer transfer window, completing a move to Catalonia until the end of the 2023/24 season.

A permanent move to Barcelona is not assured, however. The loan deal does not include an option to buy and reports from Spain have claimed Man City are reluctant to sanction another exit that isn’t a sale.

Pepe wants Cancelo at Madrid / Jam Media/GettyImages

Speaking to Portugal’s public broadcaster RTP, Cancelo said Madrid legend Pepe is trying to convince him to head to the Santiago Bernabeu.

“I am delighted to be at Barcelona, I have always wanted it. Even though we are having financial problems. After Benfica, it is the club that I have always liked,” Cancelo began.

“If you ask Pepe, for example, he would tell me that I was a good player for Real Madrid, and I would say that I am from Barcelona and I couldn’t play for Real Madrid.”

Cancelo was frozen out of the Man City squad in January 2023 after falling out with manager Pep Guardiola. He joined Bayern Munich on loan for the rest of the 2022/23 season before returning to England and then being shipped out again to Barca.

“I have no hard feelings towards Pep Guardiola,” Cancelo added. “I think they are cycles. Pep is a person with a strong personality, so am I, and there were things we didn’t agree with. I told him and he told me. Guardiola is the best coach in the world. Life goes on. I am very happy here at Barcelona.”