Barcelona is on the verge of re-signing Joao Cancelo, who is set to return to the club 18 months after his last stint. A loan agreement has been reached with Al Hilal from the Saudi Pro League, and provided there are no last-minute complications, he will join Hansi Flick’s squad for the latter half of the 2025-26 season.
Cancelo expressed his desire to return to Barcelona once it was confirmed that he would be leaving Al Hilal. Although he was also being courted by his former club Inter, Barcelona, led by president Joan Laporta, made a decisive move to secure his signing.
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A deal between Barcelona and Al Hilal was agreed earlier this week, but Cancelo has yet to undergo medical examinations or even arrive in Catalonia. According to MD, this delay is deliberate; both the clubs and the player wish to avoid distracting from Sunday’s Spanish Supercup final against Real Madrid.
Image via Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images
Deal finalized on Monday, presentation to follow
Barcelona has made it clear that they want the Supercup final to take precedence, and the signing of Cancelo will be finalized afterward. The plan is to complete everything on Monday, with Cancelo set to be presented as the club’s latest addition alongside Laporta, who will return from Saudi Arabia after the Real Madrid match the following day.
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As long as he is registered with La Liga on time, Cancelo may make his second debut for Barcelona when they face Real Racing Club de Santander in the Copa del Rey on Thursday. He could also play in next weekend’s league matchup against Real Sociedad, while his homecoming at Spotify Camp Nou is anticipated the following week when Real Oviedo visits Catalonia.