Al Hilal is set to kick off the Saudi Pro League on Saturday when they take on Al-Okhdood Club on the road. Jorge Jesus’ side recently defeated Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr in the Saudi Arabian Super Cup. 

Now the team which features Neymar, who is slowly returning from an ACL, Bono, Kalidou Koulibaly, Aleksandar Mitrović, Sergej Milinković-Savić, and Rúben Neves is ready to hit the ground running in the SPL. 

According to ESPN, Al Hilal still has one ace up their sleeve prior to the start of the season, and that is a possible transfer for Manchester City’s João Cancelo.

João Cancelo to Al Hilal?

According to ESPN, João Cancelo, who has been on loan for the past 18 months, returned to Manchester City this summer, but he has yet to be reintegrated into the squad. Despite Pep Guardiola hinting at his potential return, Cancelo was not included in the squad for the Community Shield or the Premier League opener. 

João Cancelo

Barcelona, where Cancelo spent last season on loan, has expressed interest, but their financial issues have prevented them from finalizing a deal.

Al Hilal has recently intensified their pursuit of Cancelo after learning that Kyle Walker will not be allowed to leave City before the transfer deadline. Cancelo, who has not played for City since January 2023, spent the second half of last season on loan at Bayern Munich, who opted not to make the move permanent. He then joined Barcelona on loan but is now a target for Al Hilal as part of their transfer plans.