`Barcelona set to complete signing for new defender

 Barcelona are confident of securing the permanent signing of João Cancelo, with the Portuguese full-back reportedly opening contract termination talks with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal to force the move through.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the deal is now close to being actualised as Cancelo actively works to sever ties with his current employers.

The 32-year-old defender has been pushing for a return to Catalonia, making it explicitly clear that Barcelona is his preferred destination to continue his career in Europe.

The breakthrough in negotiations follows weeks of gridlock between the involved parties. Al-Hilal had previously demanded a flat €10 million transfer fee to sanction Cancelo's departure. 

For a Barcelona board still navigating financial fair play constraints and chasing priority targets, that valuation proved to be a major hurdle.

By negotiating a mutual contract termination, Cancelo would effectively bypass the Saudi club's asking price. This manoeuvre allows Barcelona to acquire him on a free transfer, ensuring they can allocate their limited financial resources directly toward his salary registration.

Barcelona's keenness to bring Cancelo back to the club follows his impressive performances at the club. 

The full-back spent the second half of the 2025/26 campaign on loan at Barcelona, arriving in January 2026. He was immediately transformative, providing a dynamic attacking thrust and tactical flexibility that the squad desperately lacked during the winter stretch. 

During that brief spell, Cancelo made 16 appearances in LALIGA, registering two goals and two assists while operating effectively on both flanks.

This followed a previous loan spell at the club during the 2023/24 season, where he tallied two goals and four assists in 32 league matches, establishing a strong rapport with the fanbase.