FC Barcelona is working to lock down two transfer signings before their squad boards a plane to England on July 27, with manager Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco zeroing in on Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez and Al-Hilal full-back João Cancelo as their top priorities.
The Cancelo deal is all but done
Of the two targets, Cancelo is the closer to completion. Barcelona has reportedly agreed to a deal worth approximately €10 million with Al-Hilal, a fee that includes both fixed and variable components. The agreement is structured as a two-year deal, with only the player’s formal signature standing between the Portuguese defender and a return to Camp Nou.
Cancelo previously spent time on loan at Barcelona, so this isn’t exactly a blind date. At this point, the transfer is described as a matter of timing rather than any lingering uncertainty about whether the deal will happen.
Álvarez is the bigger swing
