Manchester City could reportedly try to strike an audacious swap deal with Bayern Munich involving full-back Joao Cancelo and midfielder Joshua Kimmich.
After suddenly falling down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola, Cancelo was surprisingly shipped out on loan to Bayern for the remainder of the 2022-23 season in January.
The Portugal international initially struggled to earn regular minutes under Julian Nagelsmann, but he has since nailed down a regular starting role under Thomas Tuchel following the former's sacking.
Cancelo has come up with one goal and six assists from 20 games in a Bayern jersey, and the Bundesliga champions possess the option to make his stay permanent for €70m (£60.8m).
However, director Hasan Salihamidzic admitted shortly after Cancelo's arrival that such a fee would likely prove too steep for his side, and it has been reported that the 28-year-old will leave the Allianz Arena this summer.
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Cancelo remains under contract with Man City until 2027, but according to The Mirror, he does not have a future at the Etihad under Guardiola due to a falling-out between the pair.
Following his switch to Bayern, it was alleged that Cancelo's move came about because of a spat with Guardiola, although the defender affirmed that he made the move for playing reasons first and foremost.
However, the report states that Cancelo created "unrest" in the Etihad dressing room after complaining about his lack of post-World Cup minutes, and Guardiola wants rid of him this summer as a result.
Given that Bayern have not shown a willingness to trigger Cancelo's permanent clause, Man City will apparently ask Tuchel's side about the prospect of a swap deal involving Kimmich, who is admired by Guardiola.
The two men briefly worked together during Guardiola's time at the Allianz Arena, and Kimmich has since established a reputation as one of the leading midfielders in world football, while also showcasing his qualities at right-back.
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The 28-year-old has registered 40 goals and 94 assists from 346 games for Bayern, scoring seven times and setting up 11 more in 46 appearances in all competitions during the current season.
Kimmich is only contracted to Bayern for another two years, though, and his situation is believed to have attracted the attention of both Barcelona and Liverpool.
It has been claimed that the German champions have no intention of selling Kimmich this summer, but Tuchel recently expressed his "love" for Cancelo and hinted that he wanted the defender to remain at the club, which could lead to a compromise with Man City.
The Citizens could be waving goodbye to club captain Ilkay Gundogan at the end of his contract this summer, with both Arsenal and Barcelona lining up to present contract offers.
However, Man City are still hopeful of retaining the German's services and have apparently offered him a new one-year deal as a reward for his impressive end-of-season exploits.
Ben Knapton
