FC Barcelona are always keeping an eye on the market to identify good opportunities to sign players. Due to limited resources, however, the Catalan club is quite restricted in terms of the players it can realistically bring in.
That said, there is a market opportunity available right now, and it is linked to former player Joao Cancelo. The Portuguese full-back, now aged 31, previously joined the Catalan club on loan and performed well during his time there.
Now, with the player looking to leave his current club, Al-Hilal, many teams have been monitoring his situation. This includes Barça, who have now taken a significant step forward, according to Fabrizio Romano.
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 12: Joao Cancelo of FC Barcelona celebrates after his teammate Robert Lewandowski scored their team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 second leg match between FC Barcelona and SSC Napoli at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on March 12, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.
(Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The Italian journalist has confirmed that La Blaugrana have officially submitted an initial bid for the Portuguese player. The proposed bid is primarily a loan offer, with Barcelona covering a small portion of his salary and the remainder paid by the Saudi Arabian side.
It remains to be seen whether the offer will be accepted, given that Serie A side Inter Milan are also keen on the player and have a verbal agreement with Al-Hilal. However, a key part of the operation, as pointed out by Romano, is that Cancelo has been waiting for Barça to make their move.