Al Hilal are on the verge of securing a deal for João Cancelo from Manchester City, a move that has been revealed by a source to ESPN. The Portugal international is poised to make the switch to the Saudi Pro League in a deal that is reportedly worth an initial sum of £21 million ($28m). Cancelo is said to be in the final stages of agreeing to a contract that will see him earn approximately £15 million per year.
At 30 years old, Cancelo has not featured for Manchester City in over a year and a half, having spent time on loan at Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Despite returning to training with City during the summer, he was left out of the squad for the first two Premier League matches against Chelsea and Ipswich Town. During his time with City, Cancelo made over 150 appearances for the club and was instrumental in securing three Premier League titles. He was also recognized for his performances by being named in the PFA Premier League team of the year in both 2021 and 2022.
Cancelo’s last game for City was in January 2023 before he surprised many with a loan move to Bayern Munich. However, the German club opted not to make the deal permanent, leading Cancelo to join Barcelona on loan for the 2023-24 season. While Barcelona did express interest in retaining Cancelo, financial constraints ultimately allowed Al Hilal to emerge as the frontrunners in the race for his signature. Al Hilal turned their attention to Cancelo after being informed that Kyle Walker was unavailable and have also explored the option of signing Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong.
Despite Cancelo’s impending departure, sources have indicated that Manchester City are still contemplating adding another attacking player to their squad ahead of the transfer deadline. Pep Guardiola, the manager of City, appears content with his current midfield options following the return of Ilkay Gündogan from Barcelona. However, the club is actively assessing various strikers following the departure of Julián Álvarez to Atlético Madrid.
Al Hilal’s pursuit of João Cancelo signifies a major development in the transfer market, highlighting the club’s ambition to strengthen its squad with proven talent. Cancelo’s experience and success at the highest levels of European football make him a valuable addition to Al Hilal’s roster, setting the stage for an exciting new chapter in the player’s career.
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