FC Barcelona Receive $8 Million For Surprise Player Sale: Reports

FC Barcelona will receive a much needed €7 million ($7.7 million) from a surprise player sale, according to O Bola in Portugal.

This is because Sporting Lisbon will reportedly decide to exercise a clause that allows them to purchase 50% of the economic rights pertaining to Barca loanee Francisco Trincao for the quoted fee.

Overall, an amount of €10 million ($11 million) comes the Catalans’ way given that the Portuguese giants also paid €3 million ($3.3 million) to temporarily hire his services in July 2022.

In July 2021, Trincao headed out on another loan assignment to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier
PINC
League where he struggled to make an impact as seen at Camp Nou under Ronald Koeman.

Back in his homeland Portugal, however, the 23-year-old has enjoyed a rebirth with 11 goals that have helped fire the club from the capital Lisbon to fourth some five points behind his first professional outfit Braga.

In all competitions, Trincao boasts 12 goals and five assists from the wing, and it appears that Sporting’s plan is to sell him for a fee exceeding €25 million ($27.5 million) as interest in him is widespread across Europe according to SPORT.

During times of financial difficulties when Barca must shave €200 million ($218 million) from the wage bill to balance La Liga limits, any extra money such as that for Trincao is welcomed.

Given that Barca paid €31 million ($34 million) to land him from Braga in 2020, however, the total €10 million ($11 million) made from his sale represents a significant loss and another blunder in the transfer market from the rein of former president Josep Bartomeu.

Trincao initially impressed in Blaugrana after being handed his first start on October 20, 2020 by Koeman in a 5-1 Champions League win over Ferencvaros.

Trincao’s inclusion resulted in fellow misfit Antoine Griezmann being dropped, but the Frenchman soon dislodged the youngster who had to wait until February 2021 to score his first goal for Barca.

A brace against Alaves followed his debut strike away at Real Betis, which was the winner in a 3-2 victory, but by July the winger had been shipped off to England and has never featured for his at-present parent club since.