Four full-back options for Man City amid Joao Cancelo Barcelona links

The Portuguese international has struggled to make his mark at the Etihad since arriving from Juventus last summer

Pep Guardiola demands very specific things from his full-backs. It’s why Manchester City have spent so much on players in that position since the arrival of the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager.

It was just last summer that €30m (plus Danilo) was splurged on the signing of Joao Cancelo from Juventus, but the Portuguese international has struggled to make his mark.

Indeed, it appears that Cancelo’s City career might be short-lived with Barcelona the latest club reported to be interested in the right-back. So who could Guardiola target to replace him?

Here are four candidates...

Max Aarons

Club: Norwich City

Age: 20

Nationality: England

There is barely a top Premier League club not linked with Max Aarons. While Norwich City have struggled in the Premier League, their young right-back has shown his class, starting nearly every game for the Canaries.

Aarons might still be raw and in need of refinement, but Guardiola could mould him in his own image, and the 20-year-old looks ready to take the next step in his career.

He is naturally fit and possesses the mobility required to allow him to play the Catalan’s high press game, so a move to the Etihad could be the perfect thing for him at this stage of his career.

Elseid Hysaj

Club: Napoli

Age: 26

Nationality: Albania

If City are looking to keep the purse strings tight this summer, Hysaj could be a reasonable option as a right-back target.

The Albanian has fallen out of the Napoli first team this season, so it might seem somewhat strange to link him with the Premier League champions, but there’s reason to believe he would thrive under Guardiola.

Hysaj played his best football under Maurizio Sarri at Napoli, with ‘Sarri-ball’ close to the game Guardiola professes. What’s more, at 26 he is coming into his peak years as an athlete.

Although he has a release clause of €50m (£44.75m), Hysaj would be available for less as his contract is set to expire next year. His agent has already confirmed he will be leaving Napoli at the end of the season.

Joshua Kimmich

Club: Bayern Munich

Age: 25

Nationality: Germany

Guardiola is known to be a big fan of Kimmich, having brought him through during his time at Bayern Munich.

The 25-year-old is technically excellent, energetic and boasts an in-game sharpness the Catalan coach clearly values.

However, prising Kimmich from Bayern’s grip won’t be easy. Indeed, City would probably have to pay a club record fee to sign the German international.

But if Guardiola wants to solve his right-back problem once and for all, there are few better candidates.

Nelson Semedo

Club: Barcelona

Age: 26

Nationality: Portugal

This might be the most realistic solution for City. With Barcelona reportedly interested in signing Cancelo this summer, Guardiola could simply ask the Catalans to send Nelson Semedo in exchange.

The Portuguese has struggled to nail down a starting place at the Camp Nou, but is still highly regarded within the game.

Semedo is an attack-minded full-back of the sort Guardiola prefers. He focuses much of his game on getting into the final third as frequently as possible, disrupting opposition defences and creating pockets of space either for himself or others to exploit. He could be City’s Dani Alves.