Despite the sporting will to finalise a deal, Barcelona’s financial reality continues to complicate matters. The Blaugrana are reportedly hoping that Cancelo will take matters into his own hands by seeking thetermination of his contract with Al-Hilal. This would allow the Catalan giants to bypass a transfer fee and sign the defender as a free agent.
However, this path requires a massive financial sacrifice from the player, who would have to forfeit a high salary in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Hilal are also unlikely to sanction an exit easily, as they still have approximately €8 million left to cover payments from his original transfer from Manchester City. While Barca are desperate to keep him, they remain hesitant to pay a significant fee for a player approaching his 32nd birthday.