Joao Cancelo ‘only wants Barcelona’ as Saudi club and La Liga giants haggle over permanent move

Joao Cancelo is waiting on a Sardinian holiday island for Barcelona and Al Hilal to finalise a permanent transfer that both clubs want, but have yet to complete.

The Portugal full-back, 32, spent last season on loan at Barcelona from the Saudi Pro League champions, and his temporary deal at the Camp Nou expired a week before Portugal were knocked out of the World Cup in the last 16 by Spain.

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Cancelo is “totally calm” about his future and remains clear that “all he wants is to play for Barcelona”, even though he is under contract with Al Hilal until 2027.

The report says personal terms between Cancelo and Barca have already been agreed, with only “some tax details” left to resolve before the move can be officially announced.

Barca and Al Hilal yet to seal agreement

While the player’s contract with Barcelona is understood to be settled, the two clubs are still working on the structure of a permanent transfer with Al Hilal, who signed Cancelo as part of their high‐profile recruitment drive in Saudi Arabia.

Cancelo has travelled to the Italian island of Sardinia for his summer break and is said to be staying there until the situation is clarified and a full agreement is reached between Al Hilal and Barcelona.

Because negotiations are ongoing, Barcelona do not expect all formalities to be completed before their first-team training camp at St George’s Park in England later this month.

As a result, it is considered likely that Cancelo will have to report initially for pre-season with Al Hilal, where new head coach Simone Inzaghi has taken charge, before any move back to Spain is finalised.

Time on Barca’s side before La Liga kick-off

Barcelona believe there is still sufficient time to complete the deal before the start of their league campaign.

The Catalan club open their La Liga season away to Elche on Sunday 23 August, giving sporting directors several weeks to close negotiations with Al Hilal and register Cancelo in time for the first match.

In the meantime, new head coach Hansi Flick is working with existing options in the full-back positions during early pre-season sessions.

Flick’s current left-back options

For now, Flick has Alejandro Balde from the first team and youth product Guille (Guillem) Torrent from the reserves available as left-back options.

They are joined by Gerard Martin, a left-back by trade who has increasingly been used as a central defender and has impressed the coaching staff in that role.

On Tuesday, 17-year-old left-back Jordi Pescador also trained with the senior squad, as Balde followed an individual fitness programme after his injury problems last season.

The use of academy players and positional flexibility underlines Barcelona’s need for experienced depth in the full-back areas, heightening the importance of concluding Cancelo’s permanent transfer.

With the player pushing for a return, personal terms in place and both clubs still in talks, Barcelona now face a race against time to turn Cancelo’s clear desire into a completed deal before the new season begins.