Barcelona are determined to sign Joao Cancelo: Hansi Flick gives the green light for a reunion.
Barca are accelerating plans to reunite with Joao Cancelo to address their defensive crisis following Christensen's injury, while Inter Milan are also actively pursuing the defender.
Barcelona are accelerating efforts to bring Joao Cancelo back to Camp Nou during the winter transfer window. This move has been approved by coach Hansi Flick to fill the void in the defense following Andreas Christensen's serious injury, and to capitalize on the Portuguese defender's decision to leave Al Hilal.
Solving the defensive problem stemming from the personnel crisis.
The Catalan team's defense is in a critical situation after Andreas Christensen suffered a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament. The long-term absence of this central defender not only leaves a professional void but also opens up a financial opportunity under La Liga regulations.
Specifically, Barcelona were allowed to use 40% of Christensen's salary to register a replacement. Given the limited budget, Joao Cancelo emerged as the optimal option due to his extensive experience and ability to adapt quickly to Spanish football. The Barca coaching staff valued Cancelo's versatility, as he could effectively play on both wings and provide additional creative attacking options.
An inevitable separation at Al Hilal
Joao Cancelo's future in Saudi Arabia seems to be over. After joining Al Hilal, the 1994-born defender has been plagued by bad luck with hamstring injuries, leading to long periods of absence from play. More notably, he is no longer in coach Simone Inzaghi's plans, having been left out of the squad for the second half of the Saudi Pro League season.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, both Cancelo and Al Hilal have agreed on a parting of ways in January. At 31, the Portuguese international still craves playing in top European leagues to maintain his form and status. This is the main motivation behind his agent's active contact with major clubs over the past 24 hours.
A two-horse race with Inter Milan
Despite having the emotional advantage of having previously played for Barca on loan during the 2023/24 season, the Catalan club still faces fierce competition from Inter Milan. The Nerazzurri are also actively pursuing Cancelo, who spent time with them from 2017-2018.
However, Cancelo's priority is reportedly a destination where he can immediately compete for major titles and secure a starting place. With Hansi Flick having directly approved the plan, Barcelona are considering making a quick decision to finalize the deal before the transfer window closes. The return of a defender once considered one of the best in the world would be a significant boost to Barca's ambitions for the remainder of the season.
