Portuguese full-back João Cancelo is reportedly eager to rejoin Barcelona after a successful loan spell during the 2023/2024 season from Manchester City. However, despite his desire to return, his potential move back to Camp Nou faces several obstacles.
After his loan at Barcelona, Cancelo moved to Al Hilal in August, but he has expressed a strong wish to compete at the top level in Europe again. According to El Nacional, Barcelona president Joan Laporta is open to the idea of bringing him back, but the move is not fully supported by head coach Hansi Flick or sporting director Deco, who have other priorities for the team.
Flick, while impressed with Cancelo’s attacking contributions during his loan spell, has concerns about the full-back’s defensive reliability. Flick values full-backs who offer consistent defensive stability, an area where Cancelo has sometimes struggled.
Deco, meanwhile, believes that re-signing Cancelo doesn’t align with Barcelona’s broader sporting strategy, which focuses on creating a balanced and sustainable squad.
Despite these reservations, Laporta remains keen on strengthening the defense, particularly in light of Barcelona’s ongoing defensive challenges. His strong relationship with Cancelo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, could potentially smooth the way for negotiations, both financially and contractually. Laporta sees Cancelo’s return as a practical solution that would provide much-needed experience and depth to the squad.
Cancelo, for his part, remains committed to rejoining Barcelona. Although he has faced difficulties adapting to life in Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal, he believes his style of play is a perfect fit for Barcelona’s tactics and feels he still has much to contribute. In fact, he is reportedly willing to lower his financial demands to help make the move possible, further showing his dedication to the club.
The situation remains uncertain, with Laporta backing the idea of Cancelo’s return, while Flick and Deco appear opposed for now.
While the move seems complicated at the moment, transfers can always take unexpected turns, and the door may yet be open for a return to Barcelona.
