For free: Barcelona are reportedly saving a huge sum on their new signing

Barcelona reportedly do not have to pay a single cent in transfer fee to sign Joao Cancelo.

Spanish sports daily Mundo Deportivo reports that the full-back has agreed to terminate his contract with Al-Hilal, apparently after clear statements and considerable pressure from the Portuguese. Barca had previously been expected to pay a fee of eight to ten million euros for Cancelo.

Cancelo arrived in Barcelona on Monday afternoon and told journalists he had laid down the law to Al-Hilal. "Either I come here or I don't play for a year and collect my salary," he told reporters. "In the end, it worked out. I am where I want to be," he added happily.

At Barca, according to the report, Joao Cancelo will sign a contract until 2029. He had already spent the 2023/24 season and the second half of last season on loan with the Catalans. Now he is set for another return to Barcelona after protracted negotiations, as he confirmed once more: "I am very happy, had already been waiting for it and thought it would be easier to get over the line," he said. For Barca, who are still in financial trouble, the free transfer is good news in difficult times.

Al-Hilal paid 25 million euros in 2024 to sign the Portuguese from Manchester City, where he did not have a particularly good relationship with coach Pep Guardiola. During the 2022/23 season, Cancelo also spent half a year at Bayern Munich, who did not take up their purchase option given his market value at the time of 50 million euros.