Joao Cancelo rejected Inter Milan, waiting for the opportunity to rejoin Barcelona in January.
Defender Joao Cancelo prefers a return to Camp Nou over joining Inter Milan, and is ready to wait for official confirmation from Barcelona before leaving Al Hilal.
Joao Cancelo is becoming the focus of the winter transfer market after publicly prioritizing Barcelona over offers from Serie A. Despite receiving a concrete offer from Inter Milan, the Portuguese defender has decided to put the Italian club on hold while he seeks a return to Spain.
Inter Milan's initiative and Cancelo's attitude
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter Milan was the earliest and most proactive club to approach Joao Cancelo. The Nerazzurri sent a clear message offering a short-term loan, willing to cover a significant portion of his salary. Inter even considered including experienced central defenders like Stefan de Vrij or Francesco Acerbi in the deal to persuade the relevant parties.
Although Inter's terms are considered very feasible both financially and professionally, Cancelo has yet to give a definitive response. The former Man City star is deliberately stalling for time to hear Barcelona's moves before making a final decision about his future.
A burning desire to leave Saudi Arabia and return to top-level football.
Cancelo's biggest motivation for patiently waiting for Barcelona was his desire to leave Al Hilal in January. After a not-so-successful stint in Saudi Arabia, the 1994-born defender agreed to leave the club earlier than planned to return to top-level European football.
Among potential destinations, Barcelona has always been Cancelo's top choice. His loan spell at Camp Nou in the 2023/24 season left a very positive impression. His versatility, being able to play well on both flanks and his impressive attacking contributions, are the reasons why the defender believes he still has great value in the Catalan team's system.
The personnel problem and Hansi Flick's considerations
From Barcelona's perspective, reuniting with Cancelo is being considered as a temporary solution to their defensive personnel crisis. Following Andreas Christensen's injury, Barca has the right to use a portion of their wage bill to register a replacement player, as per La Liga regulations. Cancelo, with his proven experience and class, is a name that could immediately meet the professional requirements.
However, the final decision still rests with coach Hansi Flick. Currently, the German strategist is reportedly prioritizing adding a true central defender rather than bringing in another full-back to provide backup for Jules Kounde. This caution from the Barca coaching staff has created a lull in the transfer, even though the player himself is eager to return.
At 31, Cancelo understood that his next move would be crucial for the final stage of his peak career. Accepting to turn down an offer from a major club like Inter Milan showed his unwavering determination to wait for an opportunity at Camp Nou.
