A former Barcelona defender has made it clear he is desperate to come back home to Camp Nou as he openly pushes for a reunion.
The versatile full-back’s Saudi dream has curdled catastrophically under Simone Inzaghi’s ruthless axe, with exclusion from second-half season registration slamming the door on all competitive action despite eye-watering wages, igniting an all-out push for European salvation where La Liga’s familiarity and tactical tempo beckon as the ultimate lifeline.
Fichajes reveals his camp’s insistent overtures to Deco amid Hansi Flick’s title push, craving a canvas for his hybrid flair despite the Blaugrana’s stacked full-back options and FFP wage tightrope.
The star is João Cancelo, the Portuguese dynamo whose dazzling 2023/24 loan—dribble marathons, 5 goals, 7 assists across competitions—etched Blaugrana legend before Manchester City’s €25 million Al-Hilal cash-in, only for Inzaghi’s squad purge to bench him indefinitely post-Club World Cup hype.
Cancelo’s elite CV—Juventus Serie A crowns, City trebles, Bayern Bundesliga—clashes with bench obscurity, jeopardizing Martínez’s plane ticket as Diogo Dalot surges.
Al-Hilal views his exit as closed, greenlighting loans with salary splits to offload the €15 million earner desperate for 2026 peak form.
Barça’s calculus cools: Koundé-Balde axis thrives, García-Martín backups suffice, prioritizing central defense amid Christensen void over Cancelo’s flash despite his hybrid threat suiting Flick’s overlaps.
Financial fair play stalls—1:1 rule unmet blocks extravagance, relegating Cancelo below Otamendi or De Vrij shortlists.
Yet his dream persists: La Liga comfort, Xavi-era bonds, and World Cup stakes align perfectly if wages bend.
January looms pivotal—Al-Hilal’s facilitation tempts rivals like Arsenal or Benfica, but Cancelo’s heart pulls Catalan.
Culers reminisce about his wizardry, but pragmatism reigns: a low-risk loan viable only if injuries strike flanks.
This Saudi exile flips to transfer soap opera, pitting desperation against discipline in Flick’s title machine.
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