Portuguese giants Benfica and Sporting CP are reportedly keen on signing Francisco Trincao on loan from Barcelona in the summer.
According to a report by Portuguese publication Record, Benfica and Sporting CP have set their sights on Francisco Trincao over a possible move in the summer transfer window. The two Portuguese giants wish to prise the 22-year-old winger away from Barcelona on a season-loan loan deal.
Francisco Trincao spent most of his formative years in his homeland Portugal and rose to prominence after joining SC Braga from SC Vianense Formacao over a decade ago. After rising through the ranks at the Portuguese club, the youngster made an impression for Braga’s first team before being snapped up by Barcelona in August 2020.
But the 22-year-old’s progress has slowed down in the last two years, as he struggled to establish a foothold in the first-team squad at Camp Nou before Barcelona loaned him out to Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer. At the Molineux, the Portuguese winger initially showed promising signs but has gradually lost his place in the side.
Trincao is now a bit-part player for Wolves and looks set to return to Barcelona in the summer, even though the Blaugrana would prefer to include him in the deal to sign Adama Traore permanently. But it seems like Trincao could be set to return to Portugal, albeit temporarily.
Benfica and Sporting CP are keen on signing Trincao from Barcelona in the summer transfer window, with both clubs looking to land him on a season-long loan deal. With Barcelona having to balance their books to make crucial signings ahead of the 2022/23 season, the prospect of loaning Trincao out again might not appeal to them.
Most importantly, the Blaugrana reportedly cannot afford to trigger the €30 million purchase option to sign Traore permanently. So including Trincao in the deal to land the Spanish international could be the way to go for Barcelona instead of loaning him out to one of the Portuguese giants.
The caveat is that Bruno Lage might not want to sign the 22-year-old attacking prospect on a permanent deal after the youngster lost his place in the first team. The entire situation thus leaves Barcelona in a spot of bother, especially with Trincao not in Xavi Hernandez’s plans for the 2022/23 season.
