Al Hilal is on the verge of securing the services of João Cancelo from Manchester City, as reported by a source to ESPN. The Portugal international is poised to make a move to the Saudi Pro League in a deal valued at an initial £21 million ($28m).
João Cancelo is nearing an agreement on a contract that will see him earn approximately £15 million per year. The 30-year-old defender has been absent from the City lineup for the past 18 months, having spent loan spells at Bayern Munich and Barcelona during that time.
Despite returning to training in Manchester this summer, Cancelo was notably left out of the squad for City’s initial two Premier League fixtures against Chelsea and Ipswich Town. His departure from City will mark the end of a tenure that saw him feature in over 150 games and clinch the Premier League title on three occasions. Notably, Cancelo was named in the PFA Premier League team of the year in both 2021 and 2022.
Cancelo’s last appearance for City dates back to January 2023 before he embarked on a surprising loan move to Bayern Munich. Following the conclusion of his stint with the German outfit, Cancelo joined Barcelona on loan for the 2023-24 season. Although Barcelona expressed an interest in retaining him, financial constraints paved the way for Al Hilal to take the lead in the race for his signature.
Al Hilal turned their attention to Cancelo after being informed that Kyle Walker was not an option for acquisition. The Saudi Pro League side had also considered a move for Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong, showcasing their ambition in the transfer market.
Sources have indicated that City is still contemplating the addition of another attacking player to their roster ahead of the impending transfer deadline. While manager Pep Guardiola feels confident with the return of midfielder Ilkay Gündogan from Barcelona, the club is actively evaluating several strikers in the wake of Julián Álvarez’s departure to Atlético Madrid.