- Barcelona are closing in on João Cancelo after he agreed to terminate his Al Hilal contract, with the defender set to return to Camp Nou.
Joao Cancelo has reached an agreement with Al Hilal to terminate his contract in order to join Barcelona ahead of the new season, according to Fernando Polo of Mundo Deportivo. The player will travel to Barcelona in the next 48 hours, and the Catalans are expected to sign the official contract next Tuesday as per Fabrizio Romano.
Why Cancelo's Al Hilal contract was terminated
He impressed Hansi Flick with the performances in his loan spell since January; the club and manager wanted to sign him on a permanent deal, but they were reluctant to pay the transfer fee requested by Al Hilal, as the player only wanted Barca, and he is out of Al Hilal's sporting plans due to his poor relationship with Inzaghi, so they decided to terminate the player's contract.
Cancelo agrees two-year Barcelona contract
The player has already agreed to a 2-year contract with Barcelona after two loan spells with the club. His first loan period was in the 2023-24 season from Manchester City, when Blaugrana was managed by Xavi Hernández. At the end of that loan period, Barca decided not to sign him on a permanent deal even though the player was keen on a move.
In his second spell he delivered an impressive performance for Flick's side while Koundé and Balde were struggling due to injury and inconsistent form. He managed to contribute 4 goals for the team from 20 appearances.
What Cancelo brings to Flick's defence
Cancelo gives Flick more flexibility at full-back, with the ability to play on either side without losing his attacking threat. His pace, overlapping runs, and quality in one-on-one situations can help Barcelona create more from the wide areas, while his ability to carry the ball forward adds another option when teams defend deep. His versatility also gives Flick more freedom to adjust the defensive setup depending on the opposition.
Cancelo was featured for the Portuguese national team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and started in every game for the team, contributing 1 assist.