Barcelona are exploring a deal to bring Portugal international João Cancelo back to the club in January, a source has confirmed to ESPN.
Barça have held initial conversations with Cancelo's current club, Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, and also with the player's camp after coach Hansi Flick requested defensive reinforcements this month.
Talks are focused on the financial makeup of the deal, with the LaLiga leaders preferring a loan move for now while paying part of the player's salary.
Cancelo, 31, spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Barça from Manchester City, making 42 appearances in all competitions and scoring four goals.
He later left City for Al Hilal in the summer of 2024, signing a contract with the Saudi club until 2027.
However, the source says Cancelo is open to a return to Europe, with reports suggesting another of his former clubs, the Italian side Inter Milan, are also keen on acquiring his services.
Barça coach Flick said last week he is hopeful of adding another defender to the squad in January after losing Andreas Christensen to an ACL injury for the next four months.
Ronald Araújo has also also been out of action since November after taking a mental health break, leaving teenager Pau Cubarsí and converted left-back Gerard Martín as the first-choice centre-back pairing in recent weeks.
Signing Cancelo would add depth in the full-back positions and could potentially allow Jules Koundé, who has spent most of his Barça career playing at right-back, to return to the middle of the defence, which the Frenchman has said his preferred position.
Throughout his career, Cancelo has played as both a right and left-sided full-back, while he can also play further forward if required.
