It is now confirmed and this time, truly official. João Cancelo is back at FC Barcelona. The Catalan club have reached an agreement with Al Hilal Saudi FC for the loan signing of the Portuguese full-back until the end of the 2025–26 season, a move reported by SoftFootball when Barcelona opened talks with the Saudi club.
Those early negotiations have now materialised into a completed deal, with Cancelo set to wear the number 2 shirt once again. The signing ceremony took place on Tuesday at the club’s offices, attended by president Joan Laporta, vice-president Rafael Yuste, board member Joan Soler, sporting director Deco, and the player’s family.
Barcelona briefly pulled down their initial announcement earlier in the day due to pending paperwork between the clubs, but once everything was cleared, the club reposted on their official X account with a simple message.
Watch the video below:
Cancelo’s return feels familiar. He previously joined Barça on loan from Manchester City during the 2023–24 season and quickly became a key figure. Across that campaign, he played 42 matches, scoring four goals and providing five assists, operating comfortably on both flanks.
After his loan ended in June 2024, he moved to Al Hilal, where he has featured in 45 matches across a season and a half, including an impressive Club World Cup run.
Flick’s thinking is clear. With Andreas Christensen sidelined by an ACL injury and Jules Koundé lacking natural competition at right-back, Barcelona needed experience rather than a risky gamble.
Explaining his decision, Flick highlighted Cancelo’s flexibility and value to the squad, saying:
He can play on both sides, he can give us good options… a high-quality player.
The German coach also admitted the club must be smart in the market, calling the move smart given Barcelona’s financial reality. The loan is reported to cost around €4 million, with no purchase option included and Al Hilal covering part of the player’s salary.
Cancelo is expected to be available immediately, possibly starting with the Copa del Rey clash against Racing de Santander. Iñigo Martínez believes Cancelo will help Barcelona a lot, a sentiment many around Camp Nou already share.
