João Cancelo returns to Barcelona – signs until 2029
– completes his dream after Saudi exit and two loan spells
João Cancelo is back in Barcelona – this time for good. The Portuguese right-back arrived in Catalonia on August 17 and is set to sign a contract that binds him to the club until June 2029.
Cancelo arrives as a free agent after terminating his contract with Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. This means that Barcelona will not have to pay a transfer fee for the 32-year-old – a huge financial victory for the club.
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It is the third time Cancelo has returned to Barça, but the first time as a permanent player. The previous two stints were on loan: first in the 2023/24 season from Manchester City, then from January to June last year – also from Al-Hilal.
The struggle to make it happen
Cancelo has fought for this transfer. He terminated the last year of his contract with Al-Hilal, which allowed Barcelona to sign him without paying a single euro in transfer fees.
It looked different a few weeks ago. The Saudi club initially demanded between 10 and 15 million euros to release him, but when the player’s contract was terminated, the whole scenario changed.
Cancelo has also given up financial sacrifices to make it happen. Upon arrival at Barcelona, he stated that he has forgone part of his salary – because his priority was to return to the Blaugrana.
Flick wanted to keep him
The return is also due to Hansi Flick’s clear desire to keep the Portuguese. The German had Cancelo in the squad for the latter part of last season, and his performances convinced the coaching staff that he is valuable in both full-back positions.
His versatility – he can play both right-back and left-back – was one of the reasons Barcelona accepted the loan deal this winter, and it remains an important attribute in their plans for the 2026/27 season.
After his last loan spell, Cancelo made it clear that he wanted to stay at Barcelona. That attitude was crucial to making the transition possible – despite the financial challenges with Al-Hilal.
Third time – and permanently
Cancelo arrives at Barcelona during a busy period for the club. They are working on completing several signings before the start of the season and want to have the new reinforcements ready for Trofeu Joan Gamper.
The Portuguese is already in the city and will go through the final formalities before joining the team. Now Cancelo has finally become a permanent part of Barcelona – until the end of 2029. No more loan stays. No more uncertainties.
The next step is to complete the signing and get started with training. Barcelona has got its man – and Cancelo has got his club.
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