Manchester United ignorance handed Man City Joao Cancelo gift despite Gary Neville plea

Manchester United ignored Gary Neville’s suggestion that the club should sign Joao Cancelo, after managing him at Valencia.

The defender played under Neville during his stint at the Spanish outfit, who contacted United officials to urge them to sign him in 2016. But this went no further, with then-boss Louis Van Gaal being sacked shortly after.

Instead, Cancelo earned a move to Juventus in 2018 after a loan spell at Inter Milan before being snapped up by City for £60m a year later. Speaking on Instagram Live, Neville hailed his former player and retold the story of his plea to United.

“He’s unbelievable, he’s brilliant,” he said. "I think Cancelo is a brilliant full-back.

“I never had any doubts when I was at Valencia for those four months that he was going to be a top player. I literally told United about him.

“I said, ‘Honestly this boy is someone special you’ve got to look at getting him’. He had two big moves, he’s got massive experience now, he’s got great courage on the ball, left and right foot, brilliant player.”

The Portugal full-back has bagged seven assists this season, only behind Liverpool pair Trent Alexander-Arnold (12) and Andy Robertson (10) in the Premier League. Cancelo will lift the title for a second time if City beat Villa on Sunday as he looks to cement his place in the Portugal World Cup squad ahead of this Winter’s trip to Qatar.