Although it has taken a little longer than anticipated, it appears like Barcelona will succeed in their pursuit of Joo Cancelo, who is the number-one right-back target for Xavi Hernández, since the Catalan club is in advanced negotiations with Manchester City.

In fact, the most recent report from Fabrizio Romano claims that the Portugal international’s transfer to Barça is only a matter of time.

The second information in Romano’s report is quite encouraging for Barça: the parties are concluding their discussions on the loan fee and, more crucially, what Fabrizio refers to as “salary coverage.” The player’s desire to sign with Barça is a major factor in City’s readiness to accept such terms, and it appears that City will agree to pay a portion of Cancelo’s salary so that Barça can fit the player into their current wage structure and La Liga’s salary ceiling.

And arguably the biggest development is that Barça will be able to negotiate a straightforward buy option rather than a required condition, which City had originally demanded, into the agreement. Making the buy clause optional gives Barça more flexibility if Cancelo doesn’t manage to play like the elite right-back that Xavi and the supporters are hoping for, regardless of what the fixed amount for the option ultimately is, with the Citizens reportedly wanting at least €60 million.

We can all now sigh with relief thanks to Fabrizio’s revelation, and it might not be too long until we see an official announcement and the first actual image of Cancelo wearing a Blaugrana shirt.