Why hasn't Joao Cancelo signed with Barcelona yet?

Joao Cancelo had everything planned to join Barcelona. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Portuguese player was set to arrive before this week on a loan deal for a season with an option to buy.

However, as of today, there are still no updates, and Barcelona is hoping to close the deal on the last day of the transfer window. As reported by SPORT, the Spanish club hadn't even made a formal written proposal. According to the Spanish newspaper, the negotiations were entirely verbal.

Similarly, SPORT reveals that just a few hours ago, half an hour before midnight in England, the first formal offer for the player arrived at the Manchester City's offices.

On the other hand, Mundo Deportivo assures that both clubs have discarded the option to buy due to concerns that a future transfer commitment would breach the well-known Financial Fair Play regulations.

Moreover, SPORT reports that Joao Cancelo is currently waiting for news in Portugal. The defender has already expressed his desire to join Xavi Hernandez's team. However, what seemed like a simple transfer has turned incredibly complicated for Barcelona.