Portuguese international defender Joao Cancelo has rejoined FC Barcelona on a loan agreement from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, effective until the end of the current season.
The Catalan club confirmed the move on Tuesday, stating, “Barcelona and Al-Hilal have reached an agreement for the loan of the Portuguese full-back until the end of the season.” The club also welcomed the player back on social media.
This marks the 31-year-old right-back’s second stint with Barcelona, following a successful loan period from Manchester City during the 2023-24 season where he made 42 appearances. Cancelo had transferred to Al-Hilal from Manchester City in 2024 for a reported fee of £21 million.
According to reports, Barcelona’s initial announcement was briefly retracted due to a paperwork issue before being re-confirmed. The transfer was facilitated under La Liga regulations that allow a club to use a portion of an injured player’s salary for a new signing. The injury to centre-back Andreas Christensen in December created the financial opening for Barcelona to reinforce their defense under manager Hansi Flick.
Cancelo is expected to be available for Barcelona’s upcoming Copa del Rey match against Racing Santander.
