A professional footballer is facing significant challenges in the Saudi Professional League following his recent transfer, as he expresses his desire to leave and return to Europe.
Despite earning a high salary, he misses life on the continent, particularly in Spain, where he feels a strong sense of belonging. He continues to explore opportunities to return to his former club, amid growing speculation about his future, especially with some coaches rejecting the idea of bringing him back.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper “El Nacional”, João Cancelo has made it clear that he wants to leave the Saudi Professional League soon, even though only a few months have passed since his transfer. He is unhappy with his life there and, despite the financial rewards, feels nostalgic for his time in Europe, particularly in Spain, where he always felt at home. His priority, it is no secret, was to remain at Barcelona.
Although his single season at Camp Nou was challenging, due to the club’s unstable results and difficult periods of internal instability, he was highly regarded by both fans and teammates.
From the moment he joined, he became an important figure in Xavi Hernandez’s squad, playing as either a right or left back. However, despite the efforts of Joan Laporta, Barcelona was unable to secure his long-term stay.
The club failed to meet Manchester City’s asking price, and eventually had to abandon their pursuit of the Portuguese player, who had waited until the last possible moment before making his decision.
Cancelo is now willing to pay part of his own money to facilitate his departure from Saudi Arabia and has reached out to Deco to explore the possibility of returning to Barcelona. His agent, Jorge Mendes, has also placed Cancelo’s name on the table, and it is believed that signing him could be a valuable addition to Barcelona, especially given the lack of reliable alternatives to Jules Koundé, as well as growing doubts surrounding Alejandro Balde’s recent performances.
However, unlike Xavi Hernandez, who valued Cancelo’s versatility and talent, Germany’s national team coach Hansi Flick does not appear to support this move. Flick is unwilling to engage with Cancelo due to his volatile personality, which has led to numerous problems throughout his career, including his departure from Manchester City following a fallout with coach Pep Guardiola.