Cancelo’s Saudi Exit Opens Europe Door: Will Barcelona Be Next?

Transfer outlook

Cancelo eyes a 2026 World Cup berth with Portugal.

The Portuguese right-back Joao Cancelo is pushing for a move again, as he edges toward an exit from Al Hilal, after head coach Simone Inzaghi left him out of the squad for domestic competitions starting next January.

According to Sport, the Catalan outlet, Cancelo wants to depart immediately and seeks a European destination that will let him train properly ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with whispers in Saudi Arabia linking him to a Barcelona return, though Barca currently does not consider him a priority.

The report notes Cancelo also suffered a hamstring injury at the start of the season, keeping him off the pitch for a long spell. He is unhappy in Saudi Arabia and wants to move, while his agent Jorge Mendes is working to find a suitable European club, with Al Hilal willing to cover a large portion of his salary if he leaves on loan.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich man is drawing interest from Premier League clubs and major Portuguese teams. At the same time, Inzaghi's and Al Hilal's stance is that Cancelo will not wear the club's jersey again this season.

Punchline 1: If transfers moved as fast as rumors, Cancelo would already be wearing Barca colors by now—blink and you’ll miss it.

Punchline 2: Mendes could probably negotiate a transfer fee blindfolded; the rest of us are still trying to find the coffee machine login.