Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo has joined Bayern Munich on loan for the rest of the season, OduNews reports.
The 28-year-old joins until the end of the season with the option to join permanently in the summer for 70m euros (£61.5m).
“My decision had to do with the playing time that had been little in recent weeks,” Cancelo told a news conference.
The Portugal international joined City from Juventus in 2019 and has made 98 Premier League appearances.
“There was speculation that my relationship with Pep [Guardiola] was not the best but the fact is I wanted to play more,” Cancelo added.
He signed a new five-year deal with the reigning Premier League champions in February 2022, extending his contract at Etihad Stadium until 2027 and said this move was not a “final departure” from Manchester.
“I wanted to start this new adventure as soon as possible,” he said. “I enjoyed my time at City and I am still under contract with the club so I don’t see it as a final departure.
“I will now focus only on my five months and see what happens then.”
Under City boss Pep Guardiola, he has won two league titles and the EFL Cup and had previously been viewed as one of City’s key players because of his ability to drift inside and act as a playmaker when City had the ball.
His performances saw him named in the PFA Premier League team of the year for the last two seasons.
Cancelo’s last two appearances were in the defeats by Southampton and Manchester United.
“Bayern is a great club, one of the best in the world,” the player added. “I know this team lives for the title and it’s enormous motivation for me to now play alongside these extraordinary players in a team.
“I’m also driven by the hunger for success. I’ll give my best for Bayern.”
Our new number 2️⃣2️⃣ 🔴⚪#MiaSanMia #ServusJoão pic.twitter.com/02v3aiJtKC
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) January 31, 2023
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