Barcelona Transfer News: Leicester City reportedly plan to sign Blaugrana star Francisco Trincao on loan
Barcelona could reportedly be tempted to sell Francisco Trincao, with EPL giants Leicester City reportedly interested in signing him on loan with an obligation to buy.
As per latest reports from The Guardian, the Foxes are set to offer Barcelona £45 million for the Portuguese for an initial two-year loan move with an obligation to buy.
Trincao joined Barcelona from Braga on January 31 for a staggering £27.98 million. But the move came to effect on July 1 due to the COVID-19 outbreak and its implications on the market.
Widely heralded as one of the biggest stars for the future, Trincao could be on his way out temporarily from the Camp Nou in a bid to find game time.
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Trincao reportedly set to leave Barcelona without making an appearance
Trincao usually operates from a wide position and is known for his technical ability, finishing prowess, and creativity the ball. The 20-year-old, scouted by Barcelona for his performances at Braga, netted eight goals and added as many assists last season.
Following his big-money move to Barcelona, Braga president Antonio Salvador lavished praise on Trincao, tipping him to become one among the world's best within the next 10 years. He had stated:
"We already know we are going to lose one of our great players, one that I consider the best, one that will define a decade from now, which is Trincao. As you know, he has been sold to Barcelona. I believe that almost the entire squad will be maintained next season."
Explaining the ideology of Braga, he added:
"Our squad will increasingly have players from the academy. This is due to the exceptional facilities we created. They will provide even more talent. We want a strong core of players that will support players who can move into the line-up."
While it was a stellar piece of business from Braga's perspective, Barcelona know they have a generational talent on their hands.
Leicester City seem to have noticed the same as well, indicated by their desire to fork out a massive £45 million for the Portuguese U-21 international.
Barcelona seemingly would not want to let go of Trincao. But the aforementioned source reports that they will have no option remaining if the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele do not secure moves elsewhere.
The duo have failed at Barcelona, albeit due to different reasons, and the club are now reportedly desperate to free up their wages by offloading them.
The Spanish giants are one of the many teams rocked by the pandemic, which is another reason why the above scenarios are a possibility.
Leicester City, meanwhile, are not the only team interested in the Barcelona youngster. It is also suggested that Serie A dark horses Atalanta are keen on adding him to their rich armoury of forwards. Unlike the Foxes, Atalanta have not approached Barcelona.
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