Transfer News: Barcelona submit bid for Cancelo

Barcelona have reportedly submitted an official bid to Al Hilal to sign Joao Cancelo on a loan deal for the rest of the season, after Inter reached a verbal agreement with the Blue Waves for the Portugal international.

The 31-year-old joined the Saudi-based outfit in the summer of 2024 from Manchester City, and while he still has a contract until 2027, he has fallen out with head coach Simone Inzaghi, leading to the planned exit.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona have submitted an offer to Al Hilal to sign Joao Cancelo on a loan deal, in which they will cover a small part of his salary.

The Portugal international fell out of favour with Al Hilal’s coach Izaghi, and has only featured in two league matches this season. In a bid to secure regular game time ahead of the World Cup in the summer, he angled for an exit, with Barcelona being his preferred destination. 

However, Barcelona’s financial straits meant that while they mulled over the decision to sign the full-back, another of his former clubs, Inter, made a move. 

The Nerazzurri reached a verbal agreement with the Blue Waves for Cancelo’s signature in a transfer which involved either Acerbi or Stefan de Vrij going the other way. However, Cancelo’s consent stalled the deal as he waited for the Blaugrana.

While Barcelona needed a player in the position, their bloated wage bill limited their mobility. However, Andreas Christensen’s recent long-term injury has afforded leeway to register new players. It remains to be seen whether Al Hilal will accept the LALIGA champions’ offer, as Inter’s bid looks more appealing on paper.

The move to Barcelona is a dream that Cancelo had already realised, as he played the 2023/24 season on loan at the club, in which he scored four goals and provided five assists in 42 matches. And while he was keen to continue, Barcelona’s financial problems prevented them from making the signing permanent.

And with Al Hilal having already accepted Inter’s offer in principle, Barcelona’s bid to cover only a small part of Cancelo’s salary might be deemed insufficient. However, there are reports that the Portuguese is prepared to significantly reduce his salary to bring the reunion to fruition.