Barcelona exploring two major solutions to secure on-loan sensation permanently | OneFootball

Barcelona are prepared to make a major effort to secure the permanent signing of Joao Cancelo after the defender established himself as one of the most important players in Hansi Flick’s system this season.

According to SPORT, there is growing optimism within Barcelona that an agreement can eventually be reached with Al-Hilal, even though negotiations remain complicated at this stage.

Cancelo’s performances during his second stint have convinced Flick that the Portuguese full-back is a key part of the project. 

As a result, Barcelona are willing to explore every possible option to keep him at the club for at least the next two seasons.

Al-Hilal posing big problem

According to the outlet, the Catalan side has already reached a personal agreement with the player regarding a long-term stay.  However, the final obstacle remains finding common ground with Al-Hilal.

Barcelona hoped Cancelo could secure his release from the Saudi side by waiving the remaining salary left on his contract. 

Barcelona want to keep Cancelo. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

That possibility initially appeared realistic because the defender himself reportedly had no interest in returning to Saudi Arabia. However, the situation has now changed significantly.

Following Cancelo’s impressive performances and growing importance under Flick, Al-Hilal have toughened their position and now believe the player’s market value has increased. 

The Saudi club are therefore demanding at least €10 million before allowing the defender to leave permanently.

Despite that complication, talks between all parties are already ongoing through super-agent Jorge Mendes.

Barcelona considering creative solutions

Because of the club’s ongoing financial limitations, Barcelona are now exploring alternative ways to finalise the operation without paying the full amount demanded by Al-Hilal.

The Blaugrana hierarchy are open to offering some financial compensation, but they intend to reduce the final cost as much as possible. 

Cancelo does not want to return to Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Another option currently being discussed involves including a player in the deal to lower the transfer fee.

In that regard, Marc Casado has been mentioned as a possible option in negotiations, although no decision has been made yet.

Important for Barcelona

Flick’s insistence on keeping Cancelo says a lot about how valuable the Portuguese defender has become inside this Barcelona project.

Beyond his technical quality, Cancelo offers tactical flexibility that few players in Europe can match. 

He is capable of operating as a traditional full-back, inverted midfielder or even deeper playmaker during possession phases. That versatility has made him fundamental to the balance of Flick’s system.

More importantly, Cancelo appears fully committed to staying at Barcelona and that factor alone gives the Catalans confidence that an agreement can eventually be reached despite the financial difficulties.