Barcelona winger could sign for Sporting CP on loan with a €20 million option to buy | OneFootball

As Francisco Trincao closes in on his return to Barcelona following his loan spell at Wolves, the young winger could be on the move once again.

The 22-year-old joined Barcelona from SC Braga in the summer of 2020 but endured a difficult debut season during which he was largely used as a substitute by then-manager Ronald Koeman.

Trincao was sent out on loan to Premier League side Wolves this past summer and the Portuguese winger had a mixed campaign in England, finishing with three goals and an assist in 30 matches across all competitions.

Wolves had an option to make his transfer permanent but are unlikely to trigger that clause. Now Trincao is all set to move back to Barcelona. But his return to Camp Nou could be short-lived as a loan switch back to Portugal could be on the cards.

Indeed, as per the cover page of A Bola on June 2, Trincao is closing in on a loan switch to the Portuguese club Sporting CP. The 22-year-old will be signing for Ruben Amorim’s side on a season-long loan deal with an option of making the transfer permanent for €20 million.

The move makes sense for all parties involved. Trincao does not feature in the plans of Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez and would have struggled for game-time had he stayed put at Camp Nou.

A move to Sporting means that he will return to his homeland and stand to play regularly, which could help him regain his confidence, while also helping him get in rhythm before the World Cup.

Moving him on means that Barcelona will also get rid of at least a part of his salary from their wage bill, which will be crucial as they look to bring in new players in the summer. And should Trincao do well, the Catalans could end up pocketing €20 million next year if Sporting decide to sign him permanently.