Arsenal are again being linked with Francisco Trincão, but they may face a familiar battle from Manchester.
Could this finally be the right time to make a move?
Everything to hold Goals for the national team put the spotlight on the lion. Rivals Manchester United and there are interested in Spain and Germany. Sporting wants to give it status A BOLA25 Mar 2025 To the nine goals he has already scored this season for Sporting, Francisco Trincão has added two more this season, now for the National Team. If there were already Sharks watching to catch him, especially in England, where Manchester rivals are very attentive, now they are even more awake for a forward who at the age of 25 begins to show all the potential that they predicted at a young age. In Spain and Germany, you know the ball, they are also keeping an eye on the 17 jersey of the Lions, who want to keep him at all costs and for that they have a plan to renew his contract. He's the man we're talking about. Because he is the lion with the most minutes this season — 3721 by Alvalade's badge, less a game than Geovany Quenda but more 509 minutes than the 17 — year — old winger's 3212 -, he is the team's third best scorer, with nine goals-Conrad Harder has 10 and Gyokeres 40 (!)- , a forward who since last season has been in great form, helped Sporting win the national title and this one to be fundamental in the race for the two-time champion. There was a lack of brilliance in the selection. It already shone. It was at 81’, with the result at 2-2 and therefore insufficient for Portugal to go to the Final four of the Nations League, that Roberto Martínez launched Trincão in the game with Denmark. Five minutes later, the lion playing in Alvalade, scored, sent the game to overtime and scored again at 91’, putting the national team ahead in the qualifying round. He was still fundamental at 5-2, in a play with Diogo Jota finished by Gonçalo Ramos. Alvalade watched him do what he does well on that stage, outside of Alvalade they saw him justify the reason why many clubs follow him closely. In England they saw it and that is why the local press pointed out yesterday the interest of Manchester United. But also Arsenal and Newcastle. They haven't spoken about City but they know the ball the market could book for a derby between the Manchester rivals this summer. They both think highly of him. It is enough to go back to 2022, when he arrived at Sporting still on loan from Barcelona, to do an exercise and realize that the two main responsible for his hiring and explosion in Alvalade, Ruben Amorim and Hugo Viana, are now in that city of England, the coach at United and the sporting director at City… Francisco Trincão left SC Braga for Barça in the 2020/2021 season, in exchange for 31 million euros. He made 42 appearances for the Catalans (three goals and two assists), then in the following season he made 30 appearances for Wolverhampton (three goals and one assist) on loan from Barça. He did not return to Catalonia but in Spain they continue to follow him. And after the debut scoring for the national team, the attention of the neighboring country returns to focus on him. As in Germany, where, we know, there are also very interested clubs. THE SPORTING PLAN There is also Sporting. A long time ago. Hence, after having received the forward on loan from Barcelona with a fee of €3 M, he soon rushed to grab him definitively once triggered purchase of €7 m.Barça, however, reserved the right to receive 50 percent of future sale. That's also one of the reasons the Lions won't admit to selling the No. 17 jersey. Naturally they want to hold on to him in a summer that is expected to be busy in Alvalade and that should take the company's biggest star, Gyokeres, for no less than 70 million. But they also know that to receive an amount considered fair per crack, not less than 40 million, only even by the 80 of the termination clause… Trincão ends his contract in June 2027. It's only a little over two years away. That is why the Greens and whites have already begun surveys with the player for the renewal of the bond. And with the forward now also excelling in selection, the process will accelerate and with the Lions committed to giving him status. The main thing in these circumstances will always be the financial condition. Trincão is already at a high level in the salary hierarchy and therefore this issue will be worked on, without the administration incurring a condition of having a player far above other figures in the squad... On the other hand, he is promised the No 10 shirt, now free after Edwards ' loan to Burnley. But above all he has a captain's armband reserved for him. First with the entry into the hierarchy, then and with the prospect of a future exit of Hjulmand, as the natural leader. That is, there is a plan to grab Trincão and SAD is willing to do everything to hold the man they are talking about.
A BOLA 25 Mar 2025
Francisco Trincão is once again being linked with a move to Arsenal, years after the club first flirted with signing the Portuguese winger, though this time, Manchester City and Manchester United appear to be leading the race.
According to A BOLA, Arsenal are one of several clubs keeping tabs on Trincão, whose recent resurgence for Sporting CP and the Portuguese national team has reignited interest across Europe.
The 25-year-old has registered nine goals and 15 assists in 43 appearances this season and delivered a decisive performance in Portugal’s Nations League win over Denmark, scoring twice after coming off the bench to send Roberto Martínez’s side through.
LISBON, PORTUGAL - SEPTEMBER 8: Francisco Trincao of Portugal warms up prior to the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A Group A1 match between Portugal and Scotland at Estadio da Luz on September 8, 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images
Trincão is currently valued at €27m and is under contract until June 2026. Sporting are reportedly determined to keep him and are already preparing a new contract offer that would grant him the number 10 shirt and, eventually, the club captaincy.
With a release clause believed to be around €80m and Barcelona still entitled to 50% of any future sale, Sporting have every reason to hold firm, unless a Premier League bidding war materialises.
This isn’t the first time Arsenal have been linked with the former Braga and Barcelona forward. Back in January 2019, Italian reports claimed that the Gunners were plotting to hijack Juventus‘s move for the then-teenaged Trincão as ‘revenge’ for the Serie A club signing Aaron Ramsey on a free transfer. Arsenal, under Unai Emery, actually withdrew their contract offer from Ramsey, allowing him to leave, so there was no ‘revenge’ to be sought.
At the time, CalcioMercatoNews reported that Arsenal scouts had watched Trincão in action for Braga B, where he had impressed with six goals and six assists in 46 appearances since his promotion from the under-17s.
LISBON, PORTUGAL - MARCH 23: Francisco Trincao of Portugal celebrates scoring his team's third goal with Bernardo Silva during the UEFA Nations League Quarterfinal Leg Two match between Portugal and Denmark at Estadio Jose Alvalade on March 23, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images
However, the rumours never progressed, and the winger eventually made a high-profile switch to Barcelona in 2020 for €31m.
Now 25 and showing the maturity and consistency expected of him as a teenager, Trincão has become a key figure at Sporting. He leads the club for minutes played this season and has emerged as a critical contributor in their bid for back-to-back league titles.
For Arsenal, Trincão could offer valuable depth, particularly on the right wing where Bukayo Saka has lacked true competition. Mikel Arteta is also expected to target a striker this summer, and while a number of forwards have been linked with the club in recent months, it’s difficult to separate serious interest from speculative noise. That said, Trincão’s blend of creativity and tactical intelligence makes him a credible option, especially if the price remains within reach.
Still, Arsenal’s path to a deal may not be straightforward. Both Manchester clubs are tracking the winger closely, and with Rúben Amorim and Hugo Viana, key figures behind Trincão’s development at Sporting, now working at United and City respectively, a summer move to England could be on the cards, just not necessarily to north London.
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