Madrid, Spain – Spanish press reports revealed on Tuesday the position of Saudi club Al-Hilal regarding the permanent departure of Portuguese player Joao Cancelo to Barcelona during the upcoming transfer window.
Barcelona had signed Cancelo from Al-Hilal on loan until the end of the current season, in the player’s second experience in the “Blaugrana” jersey, after he had previously represented the team during the 2023-2024 season on loan from Manchester City.
According to the Spanish newspaper “Sport”, Barcelona’s management hoped to reach an agreement that would allow the Portuguese full-back to stay without incurring a large financial cost, especially given the player’s desire to remain at “Camp Nou”.
However, Al-Hilal rejected the idea of letting the player leave for free and set a price of €10 million to agree to a permanent transfer of Cancelo. This will prompt the Catalan club to enter into direct negotiations with the Saudi club in the coming period.
The report indicated that Barcelona is seeking to reach a formula that satisfies all parties, especially with the coach’s insistence on retaining the player’s services and the management’s conviction in his technical abilities.
For his part, Cancelo expressed his willingness to take a pay cut in order to stay with Barcelona, a move that reflects his clear desire to continue his career with the Spanish club.
This comes days after controversial statements by the Portuguese player, in which he publicly criticized Al-Hilal’s management.
Cancelo’s contract with Al-Hilal runs until the summer of 2027. The 31-year-old has made 23 appearances for Barcelona this season across all competitions, scoring two goals and providing four assists.
