Inter actively working on move for Joao Cancelo | OneFootball

João Cancelo’s tenure in Saudi Arabia appears to be reaching an abrupt end, with a return to Inter now a concrete possibility and are working on a six-month loan.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Portuguese defender has suffered a complete breakdown in his relationship with Simone Inzaghi at Al-Hilal, leading his agent Jorge Mendes to actively hunt for a new destination in Europe.

The friction between the pair reportedly turned physical during a Saudi Super League match, where Cancelo reacted to a late substitution by striking the bench and throwing objects. Since that outburst, the 31-year-old has been largely frozen out of the squad, appearing only in Asian Champions League fixtures. With Inter currently searching for a high-quality replacement for the injured Denzel Dumfries, the former Nerazzurro has emerged as a high-profile solution for the January window.

However, the deal hinges entirely on a complex financial arrangement. Cancelo currently earns a massive €15 million net per season, a salary that Inter cannot afford even for a six-month loan. For the move to materialize, Al-Hilal would need to agree to a loan deal until June while continuing to pay a significant portion of his wages. If a salary-sharing agreement can be reached, Cancelo could provide immediate reinforcement for manager Cristian Chivu as Inter look to maintain their domestic momentum.

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN