Manchester City defender returns to football after ‘precautionary’ break due to potential ‘hereditary’ heart problem

On-loan Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo has returned to football activities having received the green light following a ‘precautionary’ break from the game.

The versatile full-back is currently away on international duty with Portugal, after withdrawing from Barcelona’s most-recent La Liga outing due to personal reasons that remained undisclosed at the time.

While there had been some element of concern around the nature of Cancelo’s omission from Xavi’s matchday squad in the Spanish capital, such worries have been put to ease this week despite the obvious distress caused to the City defender personally.

Reports throughout the media this week have provided in detail the full procedure that not only saw Manchester City’s on-loan defender withdrawn on medical grounds, but also reinstated following the completion of the necessary checks.

According to the information of RAC1, as translated and relayed by Sport Witness, Joao Cancelo was pulled out of the Barcelona squad that faced Atletico Madrid in La Liga action earlier this week ‘as a precaution’ due to recent ‘medical advice’.

It has been revealed that a relative of the Portugal international ‘has a heart problem’, and as such it was decided by Barcelona medical professionals that tests would be needed before any return for Cancelo to footballing activities.

The Catalan side reportedly ‘wanted to rule out’ the possibility that the condition was ‘hereditary’, on the off chance that it could also affect Joao Cancelo in the near or distant future during his professional playing career in particular.

Since the precautionary steps taken over Joao Cancelo, it has since been reported by Fabrizio Romano that the Portugal international has received the all-clear to return to the field of play, in what will be a significant relief to all involved.

Manchester City will have their own decisions to make over Joao Cancelo during the upcoming summer transfer window, when the out-of-favour defender will likely return to the City Football Academy from a 12-month loan in Catalunya.

Barcelona are likely to be keen on making their temporary agreement permanent in the coming months, but will need to meet Manchester City’s demands for the player whilst fending off competition from across Europe and Saudi Arabia.