Barcelona sparked confusion on Tuesday after announcing Joao Cancelo’s return on loan from Al-Hilal, only to swiftly remove all posts from their website and social media channels.
The Portuguese full-back had been pictured signing his contract, with details including his squad number shared publicly, before the club abruptly deleted the announcement.
[Mundo Deportivo reports] the decision was taken after Barcelona realised the final exchange of documentation with Al-Hilal had not yet been completed.
While the agreement is in place and Cancelo is already in Barcelona, the International Transfer Certificate and final approvals were still pending at the time of publication.
Club sources have played down fears of any issue, insisting the deal is completed in principle and it is “only a matter of time” before the paperwork is finalised.
Despite the online reversal, Cancelo attended a formal signing ceremony at the club’s offices alongside his family and Barcelona president Joan Laporta.
It was also confirmed during the brief announcement that Cancelo will wear the No. 2 shirt, the same number he used during his previous loan spell in the 2023-24 season.
The move is set to be a straight loan until the end of the campaign, with Barcelona now waiting for the final green light before reissuing the official confirmation.
