In a recent report, AS mentioned that Barcelona want €18m for Francisco Trincao this summer. It has been mentioned that Barca boss Xavi is willing to give the Portuguese wide player a chance to impress in pre-season before deciding on his future in this off-season.
Trincao’s Tough Loan Spell At The Molineux Stadium Last Season
Trincao had a difficult loan spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers last season when he struggled to be consistent with his offensive numbers. The 22-year-old made 30 appearances for Bruno Lage’s side in the previous campaign, scoring three times and picking up one assist in all competitions.
The seven-time Portugal international deserves some praise for averaging 1.1 shots and 1.6 dribbles per game in the Premier League. He has even been accurate when distributing possession in the opposition half, as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 80.8% in the top tier of English football (stats via whoscored).
Should Barcelona Boss Xavi Cash In On Trincao This Summer?
Trincao is an excellent dribbler with the ball at his feet and is a technically gifted footballer. He excels at creating a yard of space for himself to get a few shots in on-target. Trincao usually plays as a right-winger but can even fill in as a left-sided wide player or assume the duties of a secondary striker down the middle if required.
At 22, the future is quite promising for the Portugal international as long as he continues to improve his offensive productivity with each season. His current contract at Barca is set to expire in the summer of 2025.
At the moment, Trincao is at a crossroads in Barcelona. If he stays at the Nou Camp, it will be difficult for him to earn regular starts in Xavi’s first XI.
However, Trincao could serve as a good rotational piece at the Catalan club next season. Thus, Xavi would be wise not to cash in on him during this summer transfer period as he still has the potential to have a good resale value in the future.