Manchester City are not expected to sign a left-back on the final day of the January transfer window despite allowing Joao Cancelo to leave for Bayern Munich.
Cancelo's shock departure to a European rival deprives Pep Guardiola of the defender that he has used the most this season, and puts further pressure on a backline that is not known for avoiding injuries. So fast and so hard was Cancelo's fall out of favour at the Etihad that it has been deemed best for everyone if he leaves immediately.
As the Manchester Evening News reported on Monday, City are very unlikely to go back into the market to replace Cancelo before the January window ends; Nathan Ake's form at left-back, Rico Lewis's emergence at right-back and the strength in depth at centre-backs have been cited as reasons to back the existing squad. And, despite names such as Fulham's Antonee Robinson and Ben Chilwell being floated online, the club stance has not changed.
Also read: Man City transfer news LIVE deadline day updates
Confirmation of Cancelo's departure on Bayern, initially on a six-month loan before the Bundesliga champions have an option to buy for £61.5m at the end of the season, should mark the most significant bit of business in or out for City on the final day of the window. While many of their rivals have been extremely active over the last month, the only incoming for the Blues is a 20-year-old Argentine midfielder who is not expected to feature prominently in the second part of the season.
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