Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed in an exclusive report that FC Barcelona has submitted an initial official offer to Saudi club Al Hilal to sign Portuguese player João Cancelo during the current transfer window.

According to Romano, Barcelona's offer was in the form of a loan, with the Catalan club covering a small portion of the player's salary, while negotiations between the two parties are still ongoing to reach a final agreement.

The same source pointed out an additional complication in the deal, as Italian club Inter Milan reached a verbal agreement with Al Hilal's management last week to sign Cancelo, but the player has not yet given his final approval.

Romano confirmed that João Cancelo prefers to wait for Barcelona's position, placing the Catalan club as his first choice if the negotiations succeed, making the coming hours crucial in determining the player's next destination.