Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo is reportedly set to join Bayern Munich on loan for the rest of the season.
The Portugal international has fallen out of favour under Pep Guardiola in recent weeks, losing his place in the backline to 18-year-old academy starlet Rico Lewis.
John Stones, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake have also been utilised in full-back roles ahead of the versatile Cancelo, who has been an unused substitute in each of Man City's last three games.
The 28-year-old has two goals and five assists to show from 26 games in all tournaments this term, starting 16 Premier League games, but Ake and Lewis were preferred in Friday's FA Cup win over Arsenal.
While Cancelo's recent downturn in fortunes was not expected to lead to a move away, The Athletic now reports that the defender is closing in on a surprise switch to Bayern.
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The report adds that City are also willing to include an option to make the deal permanent, and Cancelo has been admired by the powers-that-be in Bavaria for some time now.
Furthermore, it is said to be "unclear" why the Premier League champions are sanctioning Cancelo's mid-season exit, even with Guardiola opting for different options out wide recently.
A separate update from journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that the Portuguese defender is set to undergo his medical within the next 24 hours, as Bayern prepare for a reshuffle of their full-back ranks.
Should Cancelo join permanently at the end of the season, Benjamin Pavard could leave the club amid interest from Barcelona, while Noussair Mazraoui has been diagnosed with an inflammation of the heart after a bout of COVID-19.
Furthermore, Lucas Hernandez is out for the rest of the season after tearing his ACL while playing for France at the World Cup, intensifying Julian Nagelsmann's need for defensive reinforcements.
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Cancelo initially struggled to show his best form at Man City after joining from Juventus in 2019, but he has since blossomed into an integral player for Guardiola in a versatile left-back role.
The former Valencia defender has recorded nine goals and 22 assists in 154 appearances for the Premier League champions, winning his second top-flight crown last season.
Cancelo has also clinched two EFL Cup trophies and the Community Shield with the Citizens, and he has been named in the PFA Team of the Year for the last two Premier League seasons.
The Portugal international only signed a long-term contract extension with Man City in February of last year, and he is not due to become a free agent until the end of the 2026-27 season.
Should Bayern push through a move in the next 36 hours, Cancelo could potentially make his debut for the Bundesliga champions when they travel to Mainz for the last 16 of the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday, before a top-flight clash away to Wolfsburg on Sunday afternoon.
Ben Knapton
