The 30-year-old defender, who spent the previous season on loan at Barcelona, has signed a three-year contract with the reigning Saudi Pro League champions.
Cancelo initially joined Manchester City in 2019 from Juventus, where he quickly became an essential part of Pep Guardiola’s squad. However, midway through the 2022-23 season, a reported dispute over playing time led to Cancelo being loaned to Bayern Munich for the remainder of the campaign.
During his time at Manchester City, Cancelo collected an impressive array of silverware, including three Premier League titles, the FA Cup, and the League Cup. He also contributed to City’s historic first Champions League victory in the 2022-23 season.
Cancelo’s move to Al-Hilal marks the club’s first major signing of the transfer window. He joins a star-studded squad that includes Brazilian forward Neymar and former Premier League standouts Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, and Aleksandar Mitrovic. His last appearance was during Portugal’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against France, which ended in a penalty shoot-out defeat.