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After the secret agreement: Al-Hilal considers punishing Cancelo

Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia are considering disciplinary measures against their Portuguese player Joao Cancelo after he failed to join the team's training camp in Austria, despite an official call-up to take part.

Cancelo remains under contract with Al-Hilal until the summer of 2027. He had been due to report to the camp last Wednesday, once his summer holiday following the World Cup ended. He never turned up.

The full-back spent the second half of last season on loan at Barcelona, who are now in talks with Al-Hilal to keep him.

Spanish newspaper "Sport" reported, citing the "365Scores" website, that Al-Hilal are weighing up a financial fine for the player, who is hoping to return to Barcelona.

By the same account, Cancelo stayed away from Al-Hilal's camp after a secret agreement with his agent Jorge Mendes and the Barcelona hierarchy.

That agreement hinges on Cancelo refusing to travel to the camp currently under way in Austria.

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Al-Hilal pile on the pressure: Cancelo makes a financial sacrifice for Barcelona
Al-Hilal's decision to penalise Cancelo looks like a negotiating tactic, a way of ramping up the pressure to squeeze the best possible deal out of Barcelona.
At Barcelona, the mood is one of quiet confidence. The Cancelo move is all but done, and an agreement is now very close.
Talks currently centre on how he leaves Al-Hilal, a tricky matter given the huge salary he still commands in Saudi Arabia. Both sides are also thrashing out the tax details to make sure he loses as little money as possible.
Everyone knew the final contracts wouldn't be signed before August, so the timeline is running exactly to plan. What nobody saw coming was Cancelo skipping the training camp, a move Al-Hilal may read as an act of rebellion.
Compare that with the other players tipped to leave, such as Darwin Nunez. They reported for the camp, keen to stay on good terms with the management and smooth an amicable exit.
Barcelona and Cancelo have agreed a two-season deal, and the Catalans hope to get it over the line for less than 10 million euros.
The player has reportedly agreed to give up a large chunk of his financial dues to ease his exit from the Saudi league. Barcelona, meanwhile, believe his new salary can be registered without any financial fair play headaches.