Manchester City and Tottenham could yet have the final say over Francisco Trincão’s future.
For the past few weeks, the Sporting attacker has been heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile,both Premier League clubs have been monitoring his situation. Now, according to Correio da Manhã, those two stories have collided.
The Portuguese newspaper claims Al Ahli have already reached an agreement with Sporting for Trincão’s transfer. The only thing missing is the player’s approval.
And that, the report says, is where Manchester City and Tottenham come in.
Saudi deal agreed, player still waiting
Correio da Manhã report that Al Ahli have agreed a package worth €45m (£37.9m), made up of a fixed fee and bonuses, with Sporting.
The Lisbon club are satisfied with the proposal and are ready to complete the sale. Trincão, however, has yet to give the green light.
The Saudi club are also offering the Portugal international a four-year contract worth €10m (£8.4m) net per season, but the 26-year-old is still holding out in the hope that an opportunity arrives from the Premier League.
According to the newspaper, it is specifically the interest from Manchester City and Tottenham that is making him hesitate.
Sporting will not give England a discount
For now, neither English club have turned that interest into a formal bid. City have previously been linked through new manager Enzo Maresca’s admiration for Trincão’s profile.
Tottenham, meanwhile, have been credited with seeing Trincão as someone capable of competing on the right wing. He could also cover a central attacking role. Correio da Manhã add an important detail, though.
Sporting president Frederico Varandas has no intention of offering Premier League clubs a better deal than the one already agreed with Al Ahli.
If Manchester City or Tottenham want Trincão, they will have to match the financial package accepted from the Saudi side.
Rather than trying to negotiate Sporting down, any English club interested in signing the winger now know exactly what it will take to convince the Portuguese champions to sell.
So the pressure then shifts onto Trincão himself, who appears determined to wait a little longer before deciding whether to prioritise the Premier League over the biggest contract of his career.