Simone Inzaghi says Joao Cancelo’s future at Al Hilal is now a matter for the club’s board, opening the door for Barcelona to continue negotiations over a possible return for the Portugal defender.
Cancelo was left out of Al Hilal’s squad for their opening Saudi Pro League match against Al-Faisaly, played shortly after Inzaghi’s comments. His omission was viewed as confirmation that the 32-year-old is not part of the Italian manager’s plans at the start of the season.
Speaking before the game, Inzaghi said: “Cancelo continues to train regularly with the team, but his future and whether he stays or not is a matter for the board.”
The remarks have been interpreted by Barcelona as a clear signal that negotiations can move forward. Hansi Flick regards Cancelo as one of his leading options to strengthen the full-back positions because of his ability to operate on both the right and left sides.
Cancelo has also made no secret of his desire to return to Camp Nou. His latest indication came on Instagram last Friday, when he posted a new image connected with Barcelona on his Stories. It was his second public hint about a possible return since the end of last season.
Barcelona and Al Hilal had initially moved towards an agreement worth 10m euros for the transfer. However, Saudi sources say Al Hilal have since increased their asking price to 15m euros before allowing Cancelo to leave.
That change has cooled the negotiations. Barcelona are unwilling to pay what they consider an excessive fee, while Al Hilal are standing firm as they wait to find a suitable replacement for the Portugal international before agreeing to his departure.
The situation now places responsibility on Barcelona sporting director Deco, who must find a formula that reduces the cost of the deal and secures Cancelo’s return, a move wanted by Flick.
Cancelo joined Al Hilal after spending last season with the Saudi club, but his exclusion from the squad for the opening league fixture has intensified speculation that his time there could be coming to an end. Inzaghi’s comments have not confirmed that a transfer will take place, but they have made clear that the final decision no longer rests solely with the manager.
For Barcelona, the next step will be to bridge the gap between their preferred valuation and Al Hilal’s revised demand. The Catalan club remain interested, but the transfer will depend on whether Deco can negotiate terms acceptable to both sides and whether Al Hilal identify a replacement for Cancelo.
