Al Hilal is on the verge of finalizing the acquisition of João Cancelo from Manchester City, as confirmed by a reliable source to ESPN. This deal will see the Portuguese international make his way to the Saudi Pro League for an initial fee of £21 million ($28m). Additionally, Cancelo is poised to agree to a lucrative yearly contract worth approximately £15m.
The 30-year-old defender has not featured for Manchester City in over 18 months, having spent time on loan at Bayern Munich and Barcelona. Despite returning to training with the Manchester-based club this summer, Cancelo was notably absent from the squad for their initial two Premier League fixtures against Chelsea and Ipswich Town. Throughout his time at City, he accumulated over 150 appearances and secured the Premier League title on three occasions. Furthermore, Cancelo was recognized for his stellar performances by being named in the PFA Premier League team of the year for both 2021 and 2022.
Cancelo’s last appearance for Manchester City dates back to January 2023, following which he embarked on a surprising loan move to Bayern Munich. Despite the German outfit opting not to extend the deal permanently, Cancelo found himself at Barcelona on loan for the 2023-24 season. Although Barcelona expressed interest in retaining Cancelo’s services, financial constraints enabled Al Hilal to leapfrog the competition and lead the race for his signature. Al Hilal shifted their focus to Cancelo after being informed that Kyle Walker was not on the market. Additionally, the SPL side had contemplated a move for Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen.
According to insider sources, Manchester City is still deliberating the addition of another attacking player to their squad ahead of the impending transfer deadline. While Pep Guardiola feels content with his midfield options following Ilkay Gündogan’s return from Barcelona, the club is actively scouting various strikers in light of Julián Álvarez’s transfer to Atlético Madrid. The team’s focus is on bolstering their attacking prowess for the upcoming season.
João Cancelo’s imminent move to Al Hilal marks a significant development in the transfer market, with the seasoned defender set to embark on a new chapter in the Saudi Pro League. Manchester City will continue to assess their squad dynamics and explore potential reinforcements to maintain their competitive edge in the season ahead.
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