Man City star can realise his dream of emulating Barcelona great who thrived under Pep Guardiola

You don't have to be a genius to realise that Joao Cancelo is one of - if not the - greatest full-backs in world football right now.

The Manchester City star is enjoying a superb campaign at left-back. A position not entirely natural to him but one that he has more than made his own.

It says a lot about Cancelo's attitude and natural ability that after enduring a tough 18 months at the beginning of his City career, he is now one of the most versatile and creative attacking weapons at Pep Guardiola's disposal. The new five-year contract he signed last week capped off what has been a remarkable transformation for the 27-year-old.

Owing to his suitability to Guardiola's system and technical ability, plenty of comparisons have been made between Cancelo and Philipp Lahm.

The former German captain was already a world champion and one of the best full-backs in the game when Guardiola took charge of Bayern Munich in 2014, but the Catalan evolved his understanding of the game to such an extent that he became a jack of all trades.

Before long, Pep had Lahm playing the 'inverted' full-back role we have seen Cancelo perform so often this season, with the left-back coming into midfield to provide passing options and numerical superiority in the centre of the pitch when his side has possession of the ball.

The work rate and application of the two are similar, even if Cancelo is susceptible to the odd lapse in concentration. There is no denying that, like with many players, Guardiola has turned the Portugal man from a very good footballer into an exceptional one.

However, when speaking to ManCity.com recently, Cancelo revealed a different Guardiola protégé that he idolised as he embarked on his football career.

"In my position, my