Joao Cancelo has confirmed that he accepted a salary reduction to make his move to Barcelona possible this summer.
The Portugal defender is set to end his contract with Al-Hilal before joining Barcelona on a permanent basis. He is expected to sign a three-year deal with the Catalan club.
Ahead of the official announcement, Cancelo spoke about his decision to return to Barcelona and his desire to remain at the club.
“I’m very happy and very pleased to be here. I’m where I want to be. I trained separately for a week. I told Deco that either I came here or I’d spend a year there without playing, while still getting paid,” Cancelo said.
“I gave up part of my salary, but it was either sign for Barça or nothing. It’s a very special club. I’m here to help and I hope to win many titles. We’re building a great team,” he added.
Cancelo previously spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Barcelona from Manchester City. He made 42 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals and providing five assists.
He returned to the club on loan from Al-Hilal for the second half of last season. The 32-year-old made 23 appearances across competitions, scoring four goals and registering four assists.
His permanent return will see Cancelo continue his association with Barcelona after two previous loan spells. The Portuguese full-back is now set to remain at the club on a long-term basis as Barcelona prepare for the new season.
