Liverpool and Chelsea are battling over a deal to sign Sporting CP winger Francisco Trincão next summer, according to CaughtOffside.
Trincão has found his form in Portugal after an unsuccessful stint in Spain with Barcelona and in the Premier League with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 25-year-old first came to the limelight while on the books of Braga, where his performances earned him an ambitious transfer to Barcelona in 2020. However, things did not go as planned, as the youngster netted only three goals and provided two assists in his 42 appearances for the Catalan club before joining Wolves on loan.
The story was no different in England, as he only netted three goals in 30 appearances during his two-season loan spell for the West Midlands outfit.
Trincão has now found his feet in Portugal after impressing during his first loan spell, which led Sporting to exercise the permanent buy option to sign him in the summer of 2023.
Since then, the winger has played over 200 games, providing 97 goal contributions, and has been key to the Leões’ success in recent seasons.
Now, having reached a sky-high 30 goal involvement, Trincão is set to become one of the most sought-after players in the summer, with CaughtOffside reporting that Liverpool and Chelsea are set to battle for his signature when the transfer window opens.
Battle
For Liverpool, the report adds that the defending Premier League title holders have expressed interest in the forward and have now taken ‘concrete steps’ to complete his transfer.
On the other hand, the 26-year-old fits the profile of a dynamic forward capable of operating across the frontline, with technical quality, creativity, and strong dribbling ability.
The Portugal international is contracted to the 21-time Portuguese champions until 2030, with a £51m release clause, and Liverpool and Chelsea are now showing interest, CaughtOffside adds.
Chelsea’s attack has largely underperformed this season, especially since the second half of the campaign, with Joao Pedri carrying the bulk of the goalscoring burden.
Long-term injuries to Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Willian Estevao have not helped matters. At the same time, Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho have been inconsistent, leading to the need for a more reliable winger.
Liverpool also need a prolific goalscorer, especially with Mohamed Salah leaving and Cody Gakpo not at his best.
Hence, Trincão would be a good fit for either club, so it’ll be interesting to see which club triggers his valuation in the summer.
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