Barcelona coach Hansi Flick wished a middle again within the January switch window, however has ended up with a really completely different defender. Al Hilal full again João Cancelo has returned to the reigning LaLiga champions for a second mortgage spell, though even the signing of the Portugal worldwide was topic to some confusion on Tuesday.
Cancelo, 31, was as a consequence of be introduced as a brand new Barça participant early within the afternoon, however with the media ready to fulfill him, the scheduled time for his unveiling got here and handed. Within the meantime, the membership deleted the official announcement of his signing from their web site and social media channels.
Membership sources had been fast to substantiate it was a bureaucratic subject; Barça had jumped the gun, arranging the presentation with out having all of the paperwork signed off. They nonetheless wanted one last contribution from Cancelo’s mum or dad membership, Al Hilal, earlier than they might keep on with proceedings.
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That ultimately arrived and, over 4 hours after initially deliberate, Cancelo was introduced and introduced. Ultimately. the delay was anecdotal, but it by some means encapsulated the setting through which it typically appears like Barça function: working issues out as they go.
Including to that feeling is the truth that the price of the Cancelo mortgage — sources advised ESPN the deal is value round €4 million, together with wages, till the tip of the season — is simply attainable inside LaLiga’s monetary framework due to a regulation that enables Barça to make use of a proportion of Andreas Christensen‘s wage area since he’s out injured for 4 months.
Ultimately, Flick will get one other defender — simply not the middle again sources mentioned he had initially requested when Christensen partially tore his ACL in December.
Even earlier than Christensen’s harm, the necessity for defensive reinforcements had been apparent. The lack of Iñigo Martínez — Cancelo’s neighbor in Saudi Arabia till this week — to Al Nassr final summer season left them searching for a brand new associate for teenager Pau Cubarsí. With Christensen perennially injured and Ronald Araújo solely simply getting back from a psychological well being break, Cubarsí has been paired most frequently with both Eric García or transformed left again Gerard Martín.
Because of this, Barça have conceded 20 targets in 19 LaLiga video games — joint-most within the prime 5 — and however for the heroics of goalkeeper Joan García, it might have been extra. The league leaders’ anticipated targets in opposition to (xGA) within the Spanish prime flight of 25.73 ranks 14th within the division; they’ve additionally conceded 11 targets in six Champions League video games.
The January switch window, although, is troublesome at the very best of occasions for essentially the most well-run golf equipment. For Barça, with their fingers tied financially, signing the left-sided heart again Flick wished was all the time an extended shot.
That doesn’t imply Barça didn’t want a full again, as Cancelo now turns into the one acknowledged proper again within the squad. Jules Koundé has performed there recurrently for over two years however nonetheless considers himself a middle again, with García backing him up. On the left, a place Cancelo can be comfy enjoying, Alejandro Balde is deputized by Martín, who’s now wanted extra in the course of the again line.
Cancelo, due to this fact, gives depth able the place it’s desperately required. Given how he has made his title for attacking greater than defending, although, it’s exhausting to know the way he improves the group defensively. Or whether or not he’ll even have the ability to discover a common place in Barça’s XI as he competes for a spot in Portugal’s World Cup squad this summer season.
None of that is to say his signing needs to be written off. His resumé illustrates what participant he’s — Manchester Metropolis, Juventus and Inter Milan are amongst his former golf equipment. If he’s used on the fitting behind Lamine Yamal, Barça would possibly enhance much more going ahead. And that may be a scary prospect for a group that gained a home treble final season, added one other Supercopa to its trophy cupboard on Sunday with a 3-2 win over Actual Madrid, are 4 factors clear in LaLiga and nonetheless combating for the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.
Additionally, after spending the 2023-24 season on the membership underneath Xavi Hernández, Cancelo is returning to a spot he is aware of nicely, decreasing any adaptation interval. Sources advised ESPN that many members of the present squad, together with Fermín López, Gavi and Araújo, are delighted to have him again.
His signing offers Flick choices and will increase the competitors for locations. Each Koundé and Balde now know that if they do not carry out there’s a ready-made alternative ready within the wings. Koundé might even discover himself as a middle again once more sooner or later, though sources instructed that isn’t at the moment a part of the plan for the remainder of the season.
Cancelo additionally returns with some extent to show. Not solely is he enjoying for a spot on the World Cup, he has unfinished enterprise at Barça — the one membership, as he mentioned on Tuesday, that has given him “goosebumps” when signing for them. His first mortgage spell ended trophyless; he doesn’t need that to be the case this time, whereas there’s nonetheless the prospect that good performances might flip a brief transfer right into a everlasting one.
He demonstrated his need to return to Barça by rejecting different advances this month. Inter had been within the working, a supply confirmed to ESPN, however Cancelo mentioned that when he obtained an strategy from Barça’s sporting director Deco, he advised his agent, Jorge Mendes, to get the deal achieved. A supply mentioned that even meant shedding cash.
Now he’ll lastly get the prospect to play at Camp Nou as a Barça participant, having spent his earlier spell with the membership on the Olympic Stadium as renovation work was carried out on the membership’s dwelling.
“The very first thing I advised my girlfriend when the chance got here up was that I might lastly get to expertise enjoying at Camp Nou as a house participant,” an emotional Cancelo mentioned on Tuesday. “I have been ready for that for a very long time. It is going to be lovely — it is even attainable that I will cry.”
