Mundo Deportivo newspaper reported that João Cancelo wants to join Barcelona permanently after ending his participation with Portugal in the World Cup.
João Cancelo
Club: Barcelona
This is despite his contract with Al-Hilal Saudi until June 2027.
The report clarified that Barcelona has already reached an agreement with the player on a contract extending for two seasons.
Cancelo played on loan from Al-Hilal to Barcelona last season.
Current negotiations are focused with Al-Hilal to complete the deal, after the Saudi club reduced its financial demands from 15 million euros to about 10 million euros including variables, according to the report.
The report added that Barcelona's management feels calm and confident in completing the deal, and believes that Cancelo's transfer will take place during the summer transfer window.
After Portugal's exit from the World Cup against Spain, Cancelo received a three-week vacation, and hopes the deal will be settled before his return to Al-Hilal training, so he can join Barcelona directly and perhaps link up with the team's camp in England.
Barcelona is trying to exploit Al-Hilal's lack of technical need for the Portuguese full-back to turn the loan into a permanent sale at the lowest costs.
Cancelo played 45 matches with Al-Hilal, scoring 3 goals and assisting 14 others.
Wearing Barcelona's jersey, he played 65 matches, scoring 6 goals and assisting 9, but that was over two periods: the first in the 2023-2024 season, and the second in the second half of the previous season.
Cancelo previously played for clubs: Benfica, Inter, Juventus, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich before joining Al-Hilal in the summer of 2024.
