Guardiola compared ‘exceptional’ £60m player Arteta really wants to Lahm, called him a ‘diamond’

Follow us on Google Discover

As Arsenal are seemingly trying to wrap up a transfer for Joao Cancelo, Pep Guardiola gave him the ultimate compliment back in 2021.

It was reported on Thursday that Mikel Arteta in particular believes that the Manchester City loanee would be a perfect fit in his system.

While one waits to discover whether the Sky Blues sanction yet another transfer for a player on their books to Arsenal, it is exciting for the fanbase that Pep Guardiola likened Joao Cancelo to one of the greatest-ever right-backs once.

What Pep Guardiola said about Joao Cancelo in 2021

It has been widely speculated that things went awry between the pair, which led to the versatile full-back being sent on loan to Bayern Munich in January.

Of course, the Portuguese international, once branded as ‘exceptional’ by Guardiola himself via City’s official website has played a bit-part role for the Bundesliga champions.

However, Joao Cancelo remains one of the best in the business and if Arsenal do manage to complete a transfer for him, they could be bringing in a player Pep Guardiola absolutely adores.

“Lahm was the best player I saw in my life moving inside from full-back close to the holding midfield player. Joao has the quality to do that. His natural position is on the right but he can play both sides, no problem. He can play perfectly with either foot”, Guardiola said via the club website.

Pep Guardiola further waxed lyrical about Joao Cancelo, who may well be on his way to a transfer to Arsenal, saying, “He has one huge quality, he would play football 24 hours a day, he loves it. When you find a player like that, like Riyad [Mahrez] or Phil Foden, you have a diamond on your hands.”

HITC View: Cancelo would be perfect for the Gunners

While it seems like love is lost between Guardiola and Cancelo, how much the Spaniard rates him as an inverted full-back should excite Arsenal, who seemingly have him on their transfer wish list.

It would not be a stretch to say that while Philipp Lahm kickstarted this new style of full-backs, Joao Cancelo elevated it due to the fact that he was a creative phenomenon and could weave his magic on both flanks.

At Arsenal, where Mikel Arteta uses Oleksandr Zinchenko in a similar role, the pair would dovetail perfectly as they did at Manchester City.

Whether a move gets over the line is one for the future but it makes complete sense.