Barcelona step up Joao Cancelo pursuit after Simone Inzaghi leaves future to Al Hilal board

Barcelona have been given encouragement in their attempt to re-sign Joao Cancelo after Al Hilal manager Simone Inzaghi said the Portugal international’s future is now a matter for the Saudi club’s board rather than a footballing decision.

Inzaghi’s comments came only hours before Al Hilal’s opening Saudi Pro League match against Al-Faisaly, for which Cancelo was left out of the squad. His omission was seen as confirmation that the 32-year-old is not currently part of Inzaghi’s plans for the start of the season.

“Cancelo continues to train regularly with the team, but his future and whether he stays or not is a matter for the board,” Inzaghi said, in comments reported by Spanish newspaper Sport.

The statement has been interpreted by Barcelona as a clear indication that negotiations over Cancelo’s return can continue. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick regards the full-back as one of his main priorities for strengthening the position because of his ability to operate on both the right and left sides.

Cancelo has also made no secret of his desire to return to Camp Nou. His latest apparent indication came on Instagram last Friday, when he published a new image connected with Barcelona on his Stories. It was the second public hint from the player since the end of last season.

Barcelona and Al Hilal had initially appeared to be close to an agreement over a deal worth 10m euros. However, Saudi sources say Al Hilal have increased their asking price to 15m euros before allowing the Portuguese defender to leave.

That change has caused the talks to lose momentum. Barcelona are unwilling to pay what they consider an excessive fee, while Al Hilal are holding firm as they wait to find a suitable replacement before letting their Portuguese star depart.

Cancelo’s position at Al Hilal has therefore become the central issue in the proposed transfer. Although he continues to train with the squad, his exclusion from the opening league game suggests that his status remains uncertain while the clubs attempt to bridge the difference in their valuations.

The responsibility now rests with Barcelona sporting director Deco, who must find a structure that reduces the cost of the transfer and completes the return that Flick is waiting for.

For Al Hilal, the final decision belongs to the club’s administration, as Inzaghi made clear. For Barcelona, the challenge is to turn that opening into an agreement without exceeding their valuation of a player they believe can provide cover on both sides of the defence.