Barcelona, Inter and Juventus approach Joao Cancelo over January transfer | OneFootball

Barcelona, Inter Milan and Juventus have made contact to sign Al-Hilal full-back Joao Cancelo in January, reports Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

The Portuguese international wants to leave the Saudi Pro League giants in January after falling out of favour with manager Simone Inzaghi.

Following a hamstring injury, Cancelo was excluded from Al-Hilal’s squad for the domestic competitions in the first half of the season. He predominantly featured in the AFC Champions League Elite.

The Italian manager is planning not to register the former Manchester City star for domestic competitions for the remainder of the season, putting his future in jeopardy.

The 31-year-old is targeting a return to Europe to get prominent game time and maximise his chances of securing a place in Portugal’s World Cup squad. 

Inter have lined up Cancelo as a potential loan target due to Denzel Dumfries’ long-term injury.

The Dutch wing-back underwent ankle surgery earlier this month and is expected to return only in March.

The Nerazzurri manager Cristian Chivu has struggled to fill Dumfries’ void, with Luis Henrique’s performances not up to the mark.

Meanwhile, Barcelona are looking to add a top-quality backup for Jules Kounde to reduce his workload and maintain his form.

Cancelo spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Camp Nou during Xavi’s reign. He has a strong attachment towards the La Liga giants and would be willing to return for his second stint.

However, Barca’s financial difficulties will prevent them from landing Cancelo. More so, their priority is finding a centre-back on a short-term basis following Andreas Christensen’s ACL injury.

Juventus are also exploring the market for a right-back due to Joao Mario’s exit speculation.

Despite being limited to the AFC Champions League, Cancelo has shown his class by racking up a goal and two assists in four games in the competition.