João Cancelo is edging closer to a return to Barcelona on a free transfer, as Al-Hilal has entered advanced negotiations with the Portuguese full-back to terminate his contract, which runs until the summer of 2027, by mutual consent.
According to Saudi journalist Hamad Al-Suwailhi, both parties are working to finalize the settlement. This will pave the way for Cancelo to sign his contract with Barcelona for free and begin his third stint in the Catalan club’s shirt.
Negotiations between Al-Hilal and Barcelona had stalled throughout the summer. The two clubs had initially reached a verbal understanding on a deal worth around €10 million before the Saudi club raised its asking price to €15 million, alongside emerging disagreements over tax and administrative details.
Cancelo has been pushing to finalize his return. He informed Al-Hilal through his agent, Jorge Mendes, of his unwillingness to complete the final year of his contract. He subsequently missed the team’s training camp in Austria despite being officially called up—a move the club viewed as an act of rebellion and considered imposing financial penalties for, before he eventually returned to training.
Cancelo has had two previous spells with Barcelona. The first was on loan from Manchester City during the 2023-2024 season, where he played 42 matches, scoring 4 goals and providing 5 assists. He then returned on loan from Al-Hilal during the second half of last season, scoring 2 goals and setting up 3 in 23 appearances.
Hansi Flick needs Cancelo due to his versatility to play on both the right and left flanks. He offers an attacking solution while providing cover for Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde. Moreover, acquiring him on a free transfer perfectly aligns with Barcelona’s desire to allocate the bulk of its budget toward signing a new forward.
