Portuguese full-back João Cancelo still holds hope of returning to Barcelona during the winter transfer window, despite the sports management led by Deco not seeing the deal as possible at the moment, whether for financial or technical reasons.

According to the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo," Cancelo plans to wait for Barcelona's position until the last moment, despite serious interest from other clubs, most notably Inter Milan, which is currently leading the race to sign him after clear moves to finalize the deal.

Coach Hans Flick confirmed during the press conference before the Espanyol match the team's need to strengthen the defensive line, while emphasizing that any deal must make sense and be logical, given the complexities of the January market and the restrictions imposed on the club.

Sport indicated that Barcelona has already tested the waters of the deal through the player's agent Jorge Mendes, but the return does not seem easy due to Cancelo's high salary, in addition to technical reservations within the coaching staff about his suitability at the moment, with Deco primarily focusing on signing a central defender.

Despite this, Cancelo refuses to commit to any other club before Barcelona's position becomes clear, something confirmed by journalist Fabrizio Romano, who explained that the player is still waiting for the Catalan club's decision before responding to other offers.

It is worth mentioning that Cancelo previously played for Barcelona on loan in the 2023/2024 season, where he participated in 42 matches, scoring four goals and providing five assists, before moving permanently to Al Hilal coming from Manchester City for 25 million euros.