Meknes – Joao Cancelo is set to complete his return to FC Barcelona soon. The Portuguese defender agreed to cancel his contract with Al Hilal following days of intense negotiations, officially making him a free agent.
Marca reports that Cancelo agreed to forfeit a substantial portion of his remaining salary to secure his immediate departure from Saudi Arabia. With those details finalized, the full-back is now cleared to sign his new deal with the Catalan giants.
The Catalan club initially explored purchasing the defender’s outright from Al Hilal, with transfer discussions centered around a €10 million fee. However, both sides scrapped the financial negotiation in favor of a clean contract termination, allowing the Spanish side to secure him without paying a transfer fee.
The shift in approach came as Cancelo pushed heavily for his departure, leaving no doubt about his desire to leave Saudi Arabia. His sole priority was returning to the Camp Nou, prompting the move to dissolve his existing deal.
Negotiations between the 32-year-old player and Barcelona are already advanced, with the final details expected to be wrapped up shortly. According to the same source, the defender could officially put pen to paper on his new contract as early as Monday or Tuesday.
The move marks a quick return to the Catalan club, following his six-month loan stint last season. Cancelo is now set to re-join the squad on a permanent basis to kick off his latest chapter in Spain.
Cancelo’s initial spell at Barcelona came on loan under former manager Xavi Hernandez. Although Barcelona wanted to retain the Portuguese defender on a permanent deal, severe financial constraints blocked the move.
By surrendering a major portion of his Saudi salary, the Portuguese full-back cleared his path to return to the Camp Nou, giving Barcelona a proven defensive asset without a transfer fee.
