Via globesoccer.com
Super-agent Jorge Mendes arrives in Barcelona for transfer talks
The Portuguese super-agent met with sporting director Deco to discuss Marc Casadó's future and João Cancelo's permanent move
Jorge Mendes, the man who essentially runs a parallel front office for half of European football, touched down in Barcelona this week for a round of high-stakes transfer meetings. The founder of GestiFute sat down with FC Barcelona sporting director Deco and club adviser Alejandro Echevarria on July 23 to work through a stack of player files as the club pieces together its squad for the 2026-27 season.
His visit centered on two priority names: midfielder Marc Casadó, whose future at the club has become a pressing question, and João Cancelo, the versatile defender currently on loan from Al Hilal whose situation Barcelona is keen to resolve on a permanent basis.
The Casadó question and Cancelo’s future
Then there’s Cancelo. The Portuguese full-back has been operating on loan at Camp Nou, and Barcelona appears interested in making the arrangement permanent. Converting a loan into a full transfer is rarely straightforward, especially for a club that has spent the better part of several years performing financial gymnastics just to register new signings.
A growing web of influence at Camp Nou
Casadó and Cancelo weren’t the only names on the agenda. Mendes also raised the situations of Alejandro Balde and Héctor Fort, two Barcelona players he represents. Their cases were reportedly treated as lower priority, not requiring immediate resolution but worth discussing while the agent was already in the building.
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His relationship with Deco adds another layer. The two share Portuguese roots and a long professional history. Deco, a former player himself, understands the agent world from both sides of the table.
The timing of Mendes’ visit also coincided with Barcelona’s preparations to unveil Karim Adeyemi as a new signing.
Barcelona’s balancing act
The Cancelo situation is a perfect example. Making a loan permanent sounds simple on paper. In practice, it involves negotiating a transfer fee with Al Hilal, fitting Cancelo’s wages under the cap, and potentially moving other players to create room.