Defender Joao Cancelo rejoined Barcelona on Tuesday on loan from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal until the end of the season.
“There are places that you never forget… welcome back to Barca, Joao,” the Catalan club posted on social media.
Barcelona and Al-Hilal have agreed on the loan of the Portuguese full-back until the season’s end, the club confirmed in a statement.
The 31-year-old right-back spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Barcelona from Manchester City, making 42 appearances.
Cancelo, a regular in Roberto Martinez’s Portugal squad, was not playing frequently for Al-Hilal, where he transferred from Man City for £21 million ($28 million) in 2024.
La Liga leaders Barca initially announced Cancelo’s arrival on Tuesday but later retracted the news
and postponed his presentation due to a paperwork issue.
After centre-back Andreas Christensen suffered a knee ligament injury in December, La Liga regulations allowed Barca to use part of his salary cost to register a new player, aiding the financially troubled club in bringing Cancelo to strengthen Hansi Flick’s defence.
Barca will visit second division leaders Racing Santander in the Copa del Rey last 16 on Thursday.
(With agency inputs)
