Barcelona is eager to keep João Cancelo following his winter transfer when he came in to reinforce the defense amid Andreas Christensen's injury. The club's management is considering either a full transfer or an extension of the loan.
However, the deal is complicated by Cancelo's contract with Al-Hilal. The player has one year left on his contract with the Saudi club, and extending the loan is not possible without their consent. Al-Hilal is demanding at least €8 million for the transfer, having paid €25 million for Cancelo in 2024.
Barcelona’s plan is to negotiate with Cancelo to terminate his contract with Al-Hilal and sign him as a free agent. This would mean no transfer fee but significant financial losses for the player, as his salary at Al-Hilal was much higher, even after a cut when he moved to Barcelona.
Sportingly, Cancelo is valuable due to his versatility—he can play on both flanks and fits Barcelona's attacking style. Previously, coach Flick also wanted to keep him, but Al-Hilal's asking price was too steep.
Thus, Barcelona faces a decision between financial prudence and squad strengthening, considering Cancelo’s age and cost. This situation tests the club’s ability to balance sports ambitions with budget constraints.
