Man City defender Joao Cancelo subject of surprise loan bid from Bayern Munich

Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo is the subject of a surprise loan bid from Bayern Munich, the PA news agency understands.

The Bundesliga giants have made an approach to take the Portugal international on loan for the remainder of the season with an option to buy for £61.5million.

Cancelo, 28, is understood to be interested in making the switch having found game time limited since returning to club duty after the World Cup.

City are not likely to stand in the player’s way should it be possible to conclude a deal before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

The versatile full-back has been a key part of Pep Guardiola’s side since joining City from Juventus in a £60million deal in 2019 and has helped the team win two Premier League titles.

However, he appears to have fallen down the pecking order of late and has started just three games since top-level domestic football resumed in December.

The emergence of teenager Rico Lewis has given Guardiola another option at right-back, while Nathan Ake has been in fine form covering left-back and centre-back positions.

With four other senior centre-backs at the club in John Stones, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and Manuel Akanji, City feel they have plenty of cover. Changes to the shape of the side have also not suited Cancelo’s game.

It now remains to be seen whether a deal can be pushed through before in the final day of the transfer window.