FC Barcelona entered the summer transfer window with the task of signing João Cancelo from Al-Hilal after his loan spell at the Catalan club ended last season. During this second loan stint, the Portuguese fullback impressed coach Hansi Flick enough to secure a starting role on the left flank and gain a request for his continuity.
Unlike the swift transfers of forwards Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi, Barcelona's progress with Cancelo has been slower, similar to the situation with Julián Álvarez. A main obstacle remains Al-Hilal’s firm stance on keeping Cancelo, despite him not being in coach Simone Inzaghi’s plans going forward.
Cancelo’s 2026 World Cup run ended about two weeks ago after Portugal’s elimination by Spain in the Round of 16. He has roughly one more week of holiday before he must return to Al-Hilal.
While the fullback is eager to move back to Barcelona, Al-Hilal maintains they have received no official offers yet. Barcelona is reportedly aiming to acquire him for less than €10 million and could benefit from Cancelo’s strained relationship with Inzaghi during negotiations.
