Recent Italian media reports have revealed exciting developments in the transfer market between the Saudi and Italian leagues, with Inter Milan entering serious negotiations with Saudi club Al-Hilal to acquire the services of Portuguese full-back João Cancelo during the upcoming winter transfer window. This swift move by the Italian side comes as an emergency solution to compensate for the significant absence of Dutchman Denzel Dumfries, who is confirmed to be out of action until mid-March due to injury.
Financial offer details and Inter's terms
According to a report published Wednesday by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter Milan have set specific financial conditions for completing the deal. Inter officials want to acquire the player on loan until the end of the current 2025/26 season, stipulating that Al-Hilal must cover the majority of his salary, estimated at around €15.5 million. This financial hurdle is the main focus of the upcoming negotiations, as the Italian club seeks to reduce its financial burden given its current budget.
Jesus's situation and Cancelo's future with Al-Hilal
On the other hand, the atmosphere within Al-Hilal seems to facilitate the player's departure, as reports indicate that the club's Portuguese manager, Jorge Jesus, is not inclined to re-register his compatriot, João Cancelo, in the team's domestic squad. This stance could pave the way for Al-Hilal's management to accept a loan offer, thus relieving them of the burden of having a player of Cancelo's caliber outside their primary plans for domestic competitions, and allowing them to focus on other available options.
A possible return to Serie A and the player's history
Inter Milan officials are expected to enter direct negotiations with their counterparts at Al-Hilal in the coming days to finalize the deal. It's worth noting that this won't be Cancelo's first stint with the Nerazzurri, as the Portuguese full-back previously played for Inter during the 2017/2018 season on loan from Valencia, where he delivered impressive performances that made him a familiar face to the San Siro faithful and Italian football in general.
Al-Hilal signed the 31-year-old player last summer for the 2024/2025 season from Manchester City in a big-money deal. This season, Cancelo has made six appearances for Al-Hilal, scoring one goal and providing two assists in 469 minutes of play, demonstrating his physical and technical readiness to make an immediate impact on any team he joins.
