Barcelona are confident Joao Cancelo will return to the club within the next few days after the Portugal full-back’s proposed move entered its decisive stage following weeks of negotiations.
The Catalan club has already agreed personal terms with Cancelo and is now working to resolve the final issue delaying the transfer: his contract with Al-Hilal, which still has one year to run. According to Spanish newspaper AS, Cancelo is expected to sign a two-year contract with Barcelona once the deal is completed.
No official financial figures have been announced, but Barcelona are expected to pay about 8 million to secure the player’s services.
Cancelo has consistently wanted to remain at Barcelona and did not wish to leave after his first loan spell. However, the club was unable to reach an agreement with Manchester City at that time, and the English side subsequently sold him to Al-Hilal.
Barcelona now believe the latest negotiations can bring the long-running pursuit to a conclusion in the coming days. The agreement would complete one of the priorities identified by the club’s sporting department and head coach Hansi Flick: retaining the same defensive group that represented Barcelona last season.
Cancelo joined Barcelona as a winter signing last season after Andreas Christensen suffered an injury. His performances persuaded Flick that the player should remain part of the squad, with the manager keen to secure his continuation at the club.
The Portugal international’s versatility has been an important factor in Barcelona’s desire to bring him back. Although he can operate on the left side of defence, Cancelo is also capable of playing on the right, giving Flick further options across the back line.
His experience is regarded as an additional asset for a Barcelona squad that includes a significant number of young players. The club therefore sees his return as providing both defensive flexibility and an experienced presence within the group.
The transfer has taken longer than expected because Cancelo first needed to reach an agreement with Al-Hilal over his existing contract. Barcelona and the player had settled the terms of his proposed return some time ago, but that separate issue prevented the operation from being finalised.
With the discussions now at an advanced stage, Barcelona are hopeful that Cancelo will soon be available to continue his career at Camp Nou. His return would also allow the club to preserve a defensive unit that earned the backing of Flick during the previous season, while adding a player able to cover both full-back positions.
