Barcelona expected to sign veteran defender after English pre-season camp | OneFootball

FC Barcelona remain on course to bring Joao Cancelo back to the club permanently, although an agreement with Al-Hilal is not expected to be completed before Hansi Flick’s squad finishes its pre-season camp in England.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Cancelo has already given his approval to the move and agreed the terms of his prospective contract with Barca. The remaining obstacle involves finalizing the transfer with Al-Hilal, with certain tax-related details still to be resolved.

The 32-year-old is currently on holiday in Sardinia after Portugal were eliminated from the World Cup by Spain on July 6. His previous loan spell at Barcelona officially ended at the end of June, leaving him under contract with Al-Hilal until 2027.

However, there appears to be little uncertainty from the player’s side. Cancelo’s clear preference is to continue at Barcelona, and the report suggests he is relaxed while the two clubs work towards completing the deal.

There is also no immediate urgency from Flick. Cancelo has only had around two weeks of holiday following his World Cup involvement and would not necessarily have been ready to join the squad’s preparations immediately.

Deal could wait until after England camp

Barcelona are therefore not expecting the transfer to be completed before their training camp at St George’s Park. That could mean Cancelo temporarily beginning pre-season with Al-Hilal under Simone Inzaghi before his anticipated return to Catalonia is finalised.

For Barca, bringing Cancelo back would add valuable experience and versatility to Flick’s defensive options. Although naturally more comfortable on the right, his ability to operate on either flank gives the coach additional flexibility across a demanding season.

Barcelona currently have Alejandro Balde as their senior option on the left, alongside youngsters such as Jofre Torrents, while Gerard Martin has increasingly established himself as a central defender.

There is still work to be done before Cancelo can officially call himself a Barcelona player again. However, with the Portuguese international already giving the move his approval and his personal terms settled, the foundations are in place.

The expectation is now that Barcelona will attempt to complete the agreement with Al-Hilal after the England camp, giving Cancelo sufficient time to prepare for the start of La Liga on August 23.