Joao Cancelo has undergone physical tests at Spanish Giants, Barcelona, with signing to make him a Catalan to happen on Tuesday.
The Portugal National Team defender landed in Barcelona in the afternoon on Monday 12 January, 2026. He still remains a player of Saudi Professional League club, Al Hilal; he however, passed the necessary medical and physical tests at Barcelona Hospital with the signing to make him a blaugrana to take place on Tuesday 13 January, 2026.
The signing is scheduled for 1pm CET, the Club disclosed Monday.
It will take place at the office of the FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta. From 1.30pm CET the player will appear before the press in the Sala Comercial, the Club further disclosed.
Barcelona posted on X: “João Cancelo is already in Barcelona and has successfully completed his medical tests. This Tuesday, the official signing.”
Joao Cancelo featured for Premier League club, Manchester City, for five years from 2019 to 2024; in 2023, he fielded for Bayern Munich on loan from City.
The full-back then went ahead to spend the 2023/24 at Barcelona and from there he put pen to paper for Saudi Football Outfit, Al Hilal, in 2024.
At Al Hilal, Cancelo recorded more than twenty (20) games, but, scored no goal.
The news of Cancelo joining Hansi Flick’s Barcelona is coming after the Spanish La Liga defending champions squeezed out a 3-2 triumph over arch-rival, Real Madrid, in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday 11 January, 2026.
Brazilian forward, Raphinha, netted a brace to help the Catalans emerge victorious over Xabi Alonso’s Los Blancos in the Super Cup which held in the city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
Lewandowski was also on target for Barca; Vinicius Junior and Gonzalo Garcia netted for Madrid.
Hansi Flick From Bayern Munich to Barcelona;
German Manager, Hansi Flick, started his run in the 2019/20 campaign with German record Champions, Bayern Munich, where he lifted the German Cup in July 2020 with now Barca striker, Lewandowski, finding the back of the net with a brace in a 4-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
Flick, since then, has added another seven (7) final triumphs, which encompass: the 2020 Champions League, the 2021 European Super Cup, the 2021 German Super Cup, the 2021 World Club Cup, the 2025 Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup in 2025 and 2026.
Three consecutive victories against Real Madrid:
Hansi Flick’s Barcelona has emerged victorious in three games in terms of finals out of three against Real Madrid – a beautiful record set by the German pro manager.
He has also won five (5) El Clasicos out of six (6). Only Pep Guardiola, Johan Cruyff and Terry Venables have nine (9), nine (9) and six (6) have more wins respectively as Barcelona manager against Real Madrid.
Photo: Joao Cancelo in action for his country, Portugal | Getty Images
