Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford sitting on the bench
Manchester United may inadvertently help fund Marcus Rashford's dream move to Barcelona this summer
Manchester United continue to be linked with a move for Sporting Lisbon forward Francisco Trincao as they eye another rebuild this summer.
Trincao has looked impressive in Portugal's Primeira Liga, scoring 32 goals in 143 appearances. The winger looks like a player reborn from his struggles on loan at Wolves from Barcelona.
And it could be a lucrative summer for Barca. Recent reports from Catalan news organisation Sport claim that the La Liga giants will earn 50 per cent of Trincao's future transfer fee. It has recently been claimed that Trincao is valued at £30million by Sporting, meaning that Barcelona would receive a tidy £15m fee.
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It may seem like a relatively low amount, but Barca's financial struggles in recent years will mean they need all the help they can get. The Covid pandemic and stadium renovations have seen board members cough up millions to keep the club within the Spanish top-flight's financial fair play rules.
It's why any move for wantaway United star Marcus Rashford looked so unlikely in January, despite the Manchester Evening News reporting that he would have preferred a move to the Nou Camp over Aston Villa. Rashford has gone on to enjoy an uplift in form at Villa Park, and the Birmingham-based club have the option to make their loan deal for the Reds' academy graduate permanent this summer.
But if, for whatever reason, a move to Unai Emery's team does not occur, United may inadvertently end up helping to fund his move to Barcelona if they sign Trincao. It's something which may suit Ruben Amorim's team, even if there are question marks over Trincao's suitability for United.
Francisco Trincao has impressed this season and any move to Manchester United could help Barcelona sign Marcus Rashford (Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
If Rashford did complete a move to the Catalan capital, United may be able to get a higher fee than the reported £40m clause inserted into their agreement with Villa. Rashford's sale would be a significant PSR boost anyway, with his homegrown status, meaning any fee received would be pure profit for the Reds.
There is also the fact that he wouldn't be joining a Premier League rival who could be going head-to-head with United for Champions League places in the near future.
Rashford's early performances for Emery's men show that he can be a threat for any opposition defence and it would lead to embarrassment at M16 if his efforts for Villa come back to haunt his boyhood club. There is still plenty of goodwill at United towards Rashford, and that will only be enhanced if he moves abroad.
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