'Here We Go': Fabrizio Romano Confirms Barcelona Transfer For Portuguese International Joao Cancelo
The Italian journalist adds that Inter Milan had reached an agreement with Al Hilal to sign Cancelo, but the player was waiting for Barcelona.
After weeks of speculation, Barcelona are on the verge of securing the services of Joao Cancelo in the ongoing January transfer window, as confirmed by Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Al Hilal defender is set to join Barca in a loan deal, with the Catalan club expected to pay a loan fee of four million euros. Romano has confirmed the deal with his customary 'here we go'.
The Italian journalist adds that Inter Milan had reached an agreement with Al Hilal to sign Cancelo, but the player was waiting for Barcelona.
The Portuguese international only wanted to join the Catalan outfit, having previously played for the club on loan during the 2023/24 season, under the leadership of Xavi Hernandez.
Although Barcelona was keen on making the transfer permanent in 2024, the club's economic hardships meant they were not able to pull off the deal. As a result, Cancelo joined Al Hilal on a permanent deal worth 25 million euros.
After spending a year and a half in Saudi Arabia, Cancelo was keen on securing a return to Europe, as he keeps one eye on the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Cancelo is set to become the first signing for Barcelona in the ongoing January transfer window and likely the club's last one, as the team continues to deal with stringent Financial Fair Play regulations.
A right-back by trade, Cancelo is set to serve as a potential backup for Jules Kounde. But he is also capable of operating on the opposite flank, making him a backup for Alejandro Balde as well.
Cancelo's addition to the team will allow Hansi Flick to view Eric Garcia only as a centre-back or a defensive midfielder, which will be essential as the team looks to cope with the absence of the injured Andreas Christensen.
