João Cancelo faces disciplinary action from Al Hilal for missing pre-season training

Published Jul 31, 07:27 AM UTC

Portuguese full-back João Cancelo failed to report to Saudi club Al Hilal's pre-season training camp in Austria on July 29, prompting the club to consider legal action and heavy fines for unauthorized absence and breach of discipline. Cancelo remains in Portugal awaiting a permanent transfer to Barcelona, a move orchestrated by his agent Jorge Mendes to avoid unnecessary travel. Al Hilal's tough stance is seen as a negotiation tactic to secure better transfer terms. Barcelona is confident the deal will be finalized in August, with Cancelo agreeing to a significant pay cut and a two-year contract. The transfer hinges on negotiating tax clauses related to Cancelo's high tax-free salary in Saudi Arabia.