Inter’s Cut-Price Cancelo Loan Plan Has A Catch – And Mendes Is Working On It
The Nerazzurri could be up against Juventus, Barcelona and Benfica.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 02 January 2026
Inter have reportedly stepped up talks for Al-Hilal full-back Joao Cancelo, with details emerging of how much salary the Nerazzurri are prepared to cover.
Inter ready to pay Joao Cancelo up to €3m for six-month loan
Cancelo is pushing for a January exit after a reported breakdown in relations with Al-Hilal head coach Simone Inzaghi.
The 31-year-old has been largely frozen out of the squad, appearing only in Asian Champions League fixtures.
With Inter searching for a high-quality replacement for the injured Denzel Dumfries, Cancelo has emerged as a January target.
Indeed, Inter are ready to hand Cristian Chivu a full reset over the coming months in order to sort out a squad in need of revamping.
Cancelo reportedly earns around €15m net per season, a figure far beyond Inter’s wage structure without major compromises.
However, Alfredo Pedulla has reported ‘new contact’ between Inter and agent Jorge Mendes, with the Nerazzurri determined to pursue the deal.
Pedulla added that, from January to June, Cancelo’s salary cost would be roughly €9m, but Inter would be willing to pay only €2.5m-€3m.
That would leave Al-Hilal covering the majority of his wages for a six-month loan.
The same report suggests Cancelo has now become an expensive issue for Al-Hilal, making a compromise attractive.
The player’s decision will now be ‘decisive’, with Juventus, Barcelona and Benfica also circling.
Cancelo has already played for Inter along with the aforementioned three teams.
#Cancelo: nuovo contatto #Inter–#Mendes. I nerazzurri vogliono andare fino in fondo, rispetto ai 9 milioni di ingaggio da gennaio a giugno (18 netti) ne pagherebbero 2,5-3. Per l’#AlHilal è un problema molto costoso da fuori lista, la volontà del calciatore sarà decisiva https://t.co/nSC0CRh09F
— Alfredo Pedullà (@AlfredoPedulla) January 2, 2026
Mendes talks hold key as Inter test subsidised loan
For Inter, Cancelo will be affordable only if Al-Hilal agree to shoulder most of the remaining salary.
That is where Jorge Mendes could prove crucial, with the super-agent looking to negotiate a compromise that suits all parties.
That said, would Al-Hilal accept paying Cancelo at least €6m for the next six months?
Al-Hilal are now in a difficult position because of the huge finances involved.
There aren’t many leagues out there who could shoulder most of Cancelo’s salary whilst also giving him the level of football he desires.
One potential option is the English Premier League, so it’ll be interesting to see whether they enter the fray.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
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