Joao Cancelo joined Barcelona unexpectedly during the January transfer window. The club was looking for a central defender due to Christensen's injury but ultimately chose the versatile full-back Cancelo as a market opportunity that also complemented the defense. Cancelo prioritized Barcelona over Inter with the goal of staying from the next season, but his future is currently uncertain.
Since his arrival, Cancelo's contribution has been insufficient. He has only played 158 minutes in three league matches and two cup games, starting just twice. Part of the explanation is that he arrived without match rhythm after nearly being inactive at Al Hilal and was not registered for the Champions League group stage. Flick maintains a very defined main line-up, and Cancelo is currently clearly a substitute.
Barça was clearly Cancelo's priority, and the club rewarded his effort to join. When he was loaned from City to Barça, the Portuguese player forgave a considerable amount of money in a financially difficult situation for the club, a favor not forgotten. Therefore, Barça made it clear in January that if his performance was optimal, they would do everything possible to sign him permanently after obtaining his release from Al Hilal.
Joao Cancelo has just over three months to reverse his situation. He can play on both full-back sides, but Flick is not convinced about using him on the left, so his chances focus on displacing a Koundé who is not at his best. If he gains more playing time and consolidates, Barça will keep him.
Besides looking for a quality forward and central defender for the upcoming summer market, the club knows it must solve the full-back issue. Only one player is firmly established on the right, and there's a lack there. Hector Bellerin is recovering well from injury but the plan is to sign someone experienced.
Cancelo's profile fit perfectly into this equation, but Flick is still unconvinced. The German coach manages minutes carefully to keep the squad active, and so far, Cancelo is not making a significant impact in rotations. Everything depends on him.
