João Cancelo, Barcelona's new full-back, expressed his happiness at returning to the Catalan club, confirming that he has once again fulfilled his dream of coming home and hoping to win many trophies.
João Cancelo
Club: Barcelona
Barcelona announced this Thursday morning that it had signed João Cancelo on a free transfer after he terminated his contract with Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal, which was set to run until the summer of 2029.
Speaking on Barcelona's channel, Cancelo said: "When I first played here, I felt bitter because I couldn't win any titles with this great club. Everyone who knows me knows that I have loved this club since I was a child, and it was a dream for me to be able to represent it."
He continued: "The first time, we didn't win any titles. There was always a feeling inside me telling me that I had to come back to win a title, which is what we achieved last year."
He added: "I was given the opportunity to join in the second half of the season, and we did everything very well. I am very happy to be here for three years, and I want to give my best to help the club achieve its goals."
He revealed: "The team is very strong, and we have made very good signings. This is football, and we need to keep our feet on the ground and continue working in the same way we did last year."
He added: "I have a feeling that we are capable of achieving great things this year. My personal goal is to help my teammates."
He concluded: "There will be matches I won't play in, but I want to play with all my heart to help the club achieve its goals."
Cancelo has previously joined Barcelona on two occasions. The first was in the 2023-2024 season, during which he made 42 appearances, scoring 4 goals and providing 5 assists.
The second time was last year, when he made 23 appearances, scoring 2 goals and providing 4 assists.
Barcelona will open their new season with an away match against Elche next Sunday in the second round of the Spanish league.
Barcelona will play their first-round match against Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou on Thursday, August 27.
