Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal club announced on Tuesday evening the completion of the loan deal for Portuguese right-back João Cancelo to Spanish club Barcelona during the current winter transfer window. According to the official statement, the loan will run until the end of the 2025/2026 season, bringing the Portuguese star back to La Liga with the Catalan club.
Cancelo's career with Al-Hilal: Numbers and statistics
Al-Hilal had signed the 31-year-old player from Manchester City in a high-profile transfer during the 2024/2025 summer transfer window, making him a key player in the "Leader's" squad. During his time with the Blues, Cancelo delivered outstanding performances that reflected his considerable technical ability.
In terms of statistics, the Portuguese international player participated in 39 matches for Al-Hilal in his first season, scoring two goals and providing 12 assists for his teammates, accumulating a strong presence with 3,133 minutes of playing time. This season, he has only participated in six matches, scoring one goal and providing two assists in 469 minutes of play, bringing his total contributions for Al-Hilal to 45 matches, three goals, and 14 assists.
Motives for leaving: The World Cup dream and the coaching staff's vision
This move comes at a crucial time for the player's international career, as João Cancelo seeks more playing time and guaranteed competitive matches at a European level to boost his chances of securing a starting place with Portugal at the 2026 World Cup. The fierce competition for the right-back position within the Portuguese national team necessitates Cancelo's presence in top European leagues to remain in the sights of his country's coaching staff.
On the other hand, technical considerations played a role in completing the deal, as reports indicated that the Italian technical director of Al-Hilal did not prefer to reinstate the Portuguese full-back to his main options in the next stage, which made the player’s loan move an ideal solution for all parties: Al-Hilal to alleviate the burden and refresh the squad, the player to regain his brilliance, and Barcelona, which is always looking for expert options to strengthen the right flank.
Return to Camp Nou and the impact of the deal
Cancelo's return to Barcelona is not surprising, as the player has previous experience in La Liga and is well-acquainted with the Catalan club's style of play. This signing is expected to be a significant boost to the Blaugrana squad as they aim to compete for domestic and continental titles, benefiting from Cancelo's considerable attacking prowess and his pinpoint passing accuracy, which he demonstrated during his time in Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal.
