João Cancelo has accused Manchester City of being “ungrateful” and claimed “lies were told” about his exit from the club.

The Portugal full-back is on a season-long loan at Barcelona after a spell at Bayern Munich in the second half of last term. Cancelo had been a key part of manager Pep Guardiola’s squad until shortly before his unexpected, deadline-day departure for Germany in January 2023.

Stories later emerged suggesting Cancelo, who had fallen behind Rico Lewis and Nathan Aké in the pecking order, had been a disruptive influence in the dressing room.

The 29-year-old told the Portuguese sports newspaper A Bola: “Lies were told. I was never a bad companion for them and you can ask either Aké or Rico. I don’t have any superiority or inferiority complex towards them.

“I think Manchester City were a bit ungrateful to me when they said that because I was a very important player in the years I was there. I never failed in my commitment to the club, to the fans. I always gave everything.”

Cancelo, who joined City in a £60m move from Juventus in 2019, won back-to-back Premier League titles in 2021 and 2022. He felt his commitment to the club was clear for all to see when he played in a game at Arsenal on New Year’s Day 2022, with facial injuries visible after an attack in his home just hours earlier.

He said: “I remember a time when I was robbed and attacked and the next day I was playing at the Emirates against Arsenal. These are things you don’t forget. I left my wife and daughter alone at home, terrified. People will only remember this because Mr Guardiola has much more strength than me when he says something, and I prefer to keep to myself.”