According to reports, Man City head coach Pep Guardiola will not “say no” to Mikel Arteta if Arsenal try to sign Joao Cancelo this summer.

Cancelo has shone for Man City in recent seasons and he was a key player for Guardiola during the first couple months of this campaign.

So it came as a huge surprise when the Portugal international joined Bayern Munich on loan during the January transfer window.

It was subsequently reported that Cancelo had a major fallout with Guardiola, but this was denied by the player.

The 28-year-old has been involved in eight goals in his 20 appearances for Bayern Munich but it remains to be seen whether he will remain in Germany beyond the end of this season.

Arsenal are keen to strengthen their squad this summer after they fell short to Man City in the race for the title. They are said to be interested in Cancelo, who is valued at around £60m.

Cancelo is under contract until 2027 so Man City are under no pressure to sell him but he has reportedly been told that he will ‘not play for the club again’.

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio cannot see Guardiola standing in Cancelo’s way if Arsenal make a move for him.

“I don’t think Guardiola is a coach who’ll say no, you don’t have to go there – because he’s superior. He thinks he’s superior in every dynamic situation in football,” Di Marzio told wettfreunde.

“I don’t think he’d put a negative situation for him (Joao Cancelo) to go.

“And I don’t think that Guardiola wants to say no to Arsenal or Arteta because he’s a big friend of Arteta. I don’t think he’ll say no.”

He added: “It depends, first of all, on Bayern Munich to have him on a permanent deal or not. It depends on what Bayern Munich wants to do.”

“Their priority is to get a striker so I don’t know if they want to spend a lot of money to have Cancelo on a permanent deal.”

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Di Marzio has also suggested that it would be “fantastic” for Arsenal if they secured Cancelo’s services.

“But I don’t know that Arsenal are that interested in Cancelo,” Di Marzio continued.

“Arteta knows him very well and it depends on which program Arsenal wants to have for his left or right backs.

“But if he wants to get Cancelo, it will be another fantastic move because it is a demonstration that they want to compete in a massive way with Man City again to win the Premier League.”

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The article Guardiola won’t ‘say no’ to Arsenal signing £60m Man City player – ‘Arteta knows him very well’ appeared first on Football365.com.