Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo wants to remain at the club beyond next season despite the links to Real Madrid, according to Fabrizio Romano. 

The Lowdown: Cancelo's future at City

Back in February, the full-back put pen to paper on a new deal that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2027.

It was since reported however that Real Madrid had their eye on securing a potential transfer deal for the player in the next summer transfer window.

In addition to his new contract, it appears as though Romano has shared some further details about Cancelo's current situation at City and his future with the Premier League champions.

The Latest: Wants to stay

In a recent Twitter post, Romano had this to say on the talk of Madrid after he relayed some recent comments from the Portuguese international about his future.

"Cancelo's linked with [a] potential move in summer 2023 but he really wants to stay."

The Verdict: Great news for City

To highlight how much of a key player the 28-year-old is for Pep Guardiola, he has played more minutes in the league this season than any other outfield figure at the club.

In terms of his effectiveness on the pitch, only Kevin De Bruyne (40) has made more passes into the 18-yard box than Cancelo (24). From a defensive point of view, no other City player has racked up a higher combined total of tackles and interceptions (41) than the £250k-per-week figure. His overall performances have earned the Portuguese international a season rating of 7.39/10 from WhoScored, making him the fourth-highest rated player at City. Taking all of this into account, it's clear that the defender, who has previously been praised for his "phenomenal" performances by Sam Lee, is a vital figure for the Citizens and Guardiola. Moving forward, now that Cancelo and now Romano has revealed how much the defender wants to stay at the Etihad Stadium, this will surely be great news for everyone connected to the club.