Barcelona: Problems in signing Joao Cancelo

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Levante Barcelona

13/09/26 16:15:00

15.00 7.50 1.17

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Joao Cancelo, a 32-year-old Portuguese full-back, is once again moving farther away from his move to FC Barcelona after Al-Hilal has raised the price to 15 million euros to accept his departure. The parties had previously worked on a figure close to 10 million, but the Saudi club has hardened its conditions late in the transfer window.

The decision forces Barça to renegotiate an operation that was well advanced for weeks. Deco aims to lower Al-Hilal's demands and does not plan to simply accept the requested 15 million for a player whose contract with the Saudi club runs until 2027.

Joao Cancelo's Transfer Fee Rises from 10 to 15 Million Euros

The economic scenario has changed in a few days. FC Barcelona had progressed with Al-Hilal on a transfer fee ranging between 8 and 10 million euros, an amount that even led to a verbal understanding between the parties.

The new request now stands at 15 million, which is about 5 million more compared to the initially planned amount. Barça believes that this increase necessitates a review of an operation that was almost finalized since early August.

Cancelo recently played on loan for the second half of the 2025/26 season with the Blaugrana. He featured in 23 official matches, with two goals and three assists, before returning to Al-Hilal at the end of the loan spell.

Hansi Flick has requested to keep the Portuguese in the squad for his ability to play on both flanks. The coach already relied on him during the final stretch of LaLiga, a competition that Barça eventually won.

Al-Hilal Also has Reasons to Let Cancelo Go

Cancelo's sporting situation in Saudi Arabia also does not guarantee his continuity. The full-back was left out of the squad for the first league match against Al-Faisaly, although Simone Inzaghi explained his absence due to the player's late arrival in the preseason.

The Italian coach refrained from confirming his stay and left the decision on the player's future in the hands of the sporting director. Cancelo continues training with the group while awaiting a resolution before the end of the transfer window.

There is also an issue with squad spots. Al-Hilal has 13 foreign players, while the Saudi league only allows registration of 10, a situation that compels the club to reduce its number of foreign players.

Joao Cancelo Wants to Return to Camp Nou

Cancelo has also publicly expressed his desire to return to Spain. The Portuguese had prioritized Barça when he returned on loan in January 2026 and maintains the same stance to continue his career in LaLiga.

The operation is also facing bureaucratic and tax issues that have prevented the finalization of the agreement reached weeks ago. These delays have allowed Al-Hilal to renegotiate the financial conditions of the transfer.

The next move now falls to Deco, who will try to bring the figures closer again before deciding whether Barça accepts increasing its investment. FC Barcelona keeps Joao Cancelo among its targets to strengthen the full-back positions, but the signing will depend on Al-Hilal lowering the 15 million euros it currently demands.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Barcelona: Problemas para fichar a Joao Cancelo