Barcelona expect Joao Cancelo’s return to the club to be completed within the next few days, with the Portugal international set to sign a two-year contract after weeks of negotiations.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, the deal has reached its decisive stage as Barcelona work to secure one of the key objectives shared by the club’s sporting department and head coach Hansi Flick: keeping together the defensive group that represented the club last season.

Barcelona and Cancelo agreed the terms of his return some time ago, but the transfer took longer than expected because the player still had to reach an agreement with Al-Hilal. Cancelo had one year remaining on his contract with the Saudi Arabian club, creating an additional obstacle before the move could be completed.

Although no official financial figures have been announced, Barcelona are expected to pay about €8m to acquire Cancelo’s services.

Cancelo’s preference has consistently been to remain at Barcelona. He did not want to leave after his first loan spell, but the Catalan club were unable to reach an agreement with Manchester City, who subsequently sold him to Al-Hilal.

The 31-year-old joined Barcelona as their winter signing last season, arriving after Andreas Christensen suffered an injury. His performances convinced Flick that he should stay, and the German manager has been keen for the Portugal defender to continue at the club.

Cancelo’s versatility is considered an important asset for Barcelona. He can operate on the left side of defence as well as on the right, giving Flick another option in both areas. His experience is also viewed as valuable within a squad that contains a number of young players.

The proposed agreement would therefore allow Barcelona to retain a player who already understands the club and its squad, while also preserving defensive continuity from the previous campaign. For Cancelo, it would represent a return to the side where he wanted to continue after his original loan ended.

The remaining stage of the process centres on finalising the arrangements involving Al-Hilal. Barcelona are confident that those negotiations will be concluded soon, clearing the way for Cancelo to complete his return and commit to the club for the next two seasons.

The expected transfer would also settle a situation that began with Cancelo’s first temporary spell at Barcelona. Despite the player’s desire to remain, the club’s failure to agree terms with Manchester City prevented a permanent continuation at that time. Manchester City later transferred him to Al-Hilal, where his contract still had a further year to run.

Now, after the latest round of talks, Barcelona believe the conditions are in place to bring Cancelo back. His ability to cover both flanks and contribute experience would strengthen Flick’s defensive options, while his return would fulfil a shared ambition between the player and the club.