The Spanish newspaper "Marca" described the transfer of Portuguese international João Cancelo, the right-back of Saudi club Al Hilal, to Barcelona as a "deal under suspicion," referring to its financial conditions and timing, despite the immediate sporting benefits it brings to the Catalan club.

According to the report, Cancelo's name resurfaced after he expressed a genuine desire to return to Barcelona even before the injury of the Dane Andreas Christensen, and he agreed to a significant reduction in his salary, which was close to 17 million euros, to facilitate the completion of the deal.

Al Hilal Club also agreed to loan the player without any fee, hoping to reassess his situation in the future. A key factor in his decision to return to Europe was Cancelo's ambition to participate in the 2026 World Cup.

From a technical standpoint, Marca believes that Cancelo provides German coach Hans Flick with great tactical flexibility; he can play as either a right or left full-back, allowing Martin to remain at center-back, or Kondé to be used as a center-back when needed, with compensation made on the right flank.

The presence of Cancelo also allows Eric Garcia to return to his original position, with alternatives available in the holding midfield role such as Frenkie de Jong, Marc Casadó, and Bernal.

Although the deal does not fulfill the management's desire to sign a dedicated central defender, according to the newspaper, it provides immediate tactical solutions at a limited financial cost, with a player who has experience and is familiar with the club's environment. This is what tipped the balance in favor of Cancelo in Barcelona's sports management decision.