Inzaghi rules out Cancelo, Mendes sparks bidding war for Portuguese | OneFootball

Joao Cancelo’s Saudi adventure has reached its final chapter, and the director of his farewell is an unexpected protagonist: Simone Inzaghi. According to reports from the Spanish newspaper Sport, the Italian coach has made a drastic and definitive decision: the exclusion of the Portuguese full-back from the list of players available starting in January. A technical choice that sounds like an unappealable verdict. The relationship between the former Inter coach and the defender never took off, leading to an early separation that is heating up the winter transfer market.

Cancelo out of Inzaghi’s plans: Al-Hilal ready to let him go as early as January

The situation has immediately set Jorge Mendes’s diplomatic machine in motion. The super-agent is already working to find a way out that will bring his client back to top-level football. There’s a significant detail facilitating the operation: Al-Hilal’s desire to resolve the matter quickly. The Saudi club, in order to free up the squad slot requested by Inzaghi, is reportedly willing to cover a substantial part of the player’s massive salary. This move transforms Cancelo from a “luxury surplus” to a major loan market opportunity.

This scenario opens the door to several solutions. The radar is mainly focused on the Premier League, where Cancelo’s qualities are well known, and the Portuguese league, where some top clubs are dreaming of a big return. However, the most intriguing option remains in the background: Barcelona. The Blaugrana, who have already had the player in their squad, are monitoring the situation very closely. If the financial conditions become favorable—thanks to the Saudi contribution to his salary—the Catalan option could heat up suddenly in the coming weeks.

Andrea Alati

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.