João Cancelo has completed a permanent move to Barcelona, ending years of temporary spells at the Catalan giants by signing a three-year contract.
Barcelona officially confirmed on Thursday that the Portugal international has joined on a permanent basis and will remain at the club until June 30, 2029.
The 32-year-old arrives from Al Hilal after terminating his contract with the Saudi Pro League club by mutual agreement. That allowed Barcelona to secure Cancelo without paying a transfer fee.
The agreement finally gives Cancelo the permanent Barcelona move he has pursued after already representing the club during two separate loan spells.
His first spell came during the 2023/24 campaign, when Manchester City sent him to Barcelona for the season. He made 42 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals and providing five assists.
Cancelo later left Manchester City permanently for Al Hilal in August 2024.
However, his Barcelona story was not finished.
The Portuguese full-back returned to the Catalan club in January 2026 on another loan from Al Hilal and established himself once again in Hansi Flick’s squad.
Across his previous two spells with Barcelona, Cancelo made 65 appearances, scoring six goals and registering nine assists.
His performances convinced Barcelona to pursue a permanent arrangement once his latest loan ended.
Cancelo also made his desire to remain at the club clear. Before the transfer was completed, he revealed that he had made a financial sacrifice to help facilitate his return.
The deal means Cancelo is beginning his third spell with Barcelona, but for the first time he is doing so as a permanent player rather than a loanee.
His arrival also strengthens a Barcelona squad aiming to win a third consecutive La Liga title under Flick. The club have already been active in the transfer market this summer, with Rodri among their other major additions.
Cancelo’s versatility remains one of his biggest attractions. Although primarily a right-back, he can operate on either side of defence and provides an additional attacking threat from wide areas.
The former Benfica youngster has accumulated extensive experience across European football, representing Valencia, Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona before his move to Saudi Arabia.
He won major domestic titles in Italy, England and Germany and was also part of Manchester City’s treble-winning squad in 2022/23.
Cancelo also represented Portugal at this summer’s World Cup, where his country reached the round of 16 before being eliminated by Spain.
After two loan spells and years of speculation surrounding a permanent move, Cancelo’s future is finally settled.
The Portugal international is now officially a Barcelona player until 2029.
