Joao Cancelo signs with Barcelona until 2029 as free agent

Joao Cancelo has officially signed with Barcelona until June 2029, marking his third spell at the club and his first as a permanent player. The Portuguese full-back, who arrived as a free agent after terminating his contract with Saudi club Al-Hilal, was presented on Thursday, August 20, 2026. Cancelo is the fifth signing of the summer for Barcelona, joining Rodri, Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, and Jesse Bisiwu Source: infobae.

Contract and presentation

Cancelo's presentation was delayed from the Joan Gamper Trophy on Wednesday, where he was ready in the tunnel but could not be introduced due to incomplete paperwork Source: excelsiormx. He signed a three-year deal and will wear the number 2 shirt Source: lavanguardia. The player expressed his joy: "Estoy muy emocionado, aún no me lo creo" Source: lavanguardia.

Registration and debut

On Saturday, August 22, Cancelo was registered with LaLiga, becoming the fourth new signing to be registered, after Rodri, Adeyemi, and Gordon. He is available for Sunday's league opener against Elche Source: infobae. However, he is reportedly not in top form after the World Cup, and Alejandro Balde is expected to start Source: elespanol.

Competition and future

Cancelo will compete with Balde for the left-back position, but he welcomes the challenge: "La competencia es buena y sana" Source: mileniomx. Meanwhile, Balde has been declared transferable, with Manchester United interested, but the player has doubts after a warning from Marcus Rashford Source: elespanol. Barcelona values Balde at around €50 million Source: elespanol.