Francisco Trincao’s departure from Barcelona has been confirmed in a deal worth €10 million, after Portuguese side Sporting activated a clause in his loan deal to make the transfer permanent.
The winger moved back to Portugal in the summer on a loan with a purchase option included. Sporting have now taken the decision to keep hold of Trincao after the forward impressed this season.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says Barcelona will receive a total of €10 million for Trincao. The Catalan giants signed the forward for €31m from Braga back in July 2020.
Trincao leaves Barcelona after making 42 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan giants. He spent last season on loan in the Premier League with Wolves, after struggling to make much of an impression at Barcelona, and has now waved goodbye to the Camp Nou for good.
Barcelona had high hopes for Trincao after signing the youngster from Braga. The forward was compared to Neymar by former Portugal international Nuno Gomes but he never managed to show his full potential at Barcelona.
Trincao’s former coach José Carvalho Araujo has explained why he thinks the youngster did not succeed at the Camp Nou in an interview with Diario Sport.
I think he came to the best club at the worst time. In a context of instability that was by no means suitable for a young boy with his whole career ahead of him and everything to prove,” he said. “That naturally negative environment made everything very difficult. He didn’t find the patience he would need. It was an accumulation of everything. I think that at that time Barça did not play the game of possession, of dominance. I think that this did not benefit Trincao, who is a player who has the ball in the opposite field, in short spaces.”
Trincao’s price tag and the expectations that surrounded his move probably did not help the youngster at the Camp Nou, while patience is rarely in supply at Barcelona as many players have discovered in the past.
Trincao has managed to enjoy regular football back in Portugal this season, scoring 11 times for Sporting in all competitions. The 23-year-old has also recently hit his first-ever professional hat-trick in a 4-3 win over Casa Pia.