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The atmosphere was really cheerful when Barcelona secured the signing of Francisco Trincao ahead of the 2020/2021 season. With a player with a lot of promise for the future, Barcelona believed they had unearthed another gem when they convinced the Portuguese to switch to Catalonia. Moreso because they had to engage in a serious fight to ward off other clubs that also showed interest.
Trincao joined Barcelona after concluding a splendid campaign with Sporting Braga. The 21-year-old bagged nine goals and 13 assists for the Portuguese side across all competitions during the 2019/2020 season. He also helped them to a third-place finish in the Liga Nos table. That brought him to the attention of several clubs in Europe and Barcelona wasted no time in snapping him up.
The Catalans were highly convinced that they splashed €31 million to sign him despite the impacts of Covid-19 during that period. The Portuguese got the chance to showcase his capabilities last season under Ronald Koeman. Unfortunately, following his debut campaign at Camp Nou, we can already see that the road ahead isn't a smooth one.
Trincao's performances left a lot to be desired last season. He ended the term with just three goals and two assists in 42 appearances across all competitions. While some could be quick to call for patience, there's no denying that his record was simply nowhere near what the Blaugrana demand from their attackers.
Apparently, there is no guarantee over the player's future at Camp Nou, following the developments the club has seen in recent weeks. After their catastrophic end to last term, it is only natural that changes will be made ahead of the upcoming season and there's already a lot to talk about.
Barcelona recently captured Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia from Manchester City. The duo both arrived as free agents after seeing off their contracts with the Cityzens. Memphis Depay also joined the club on a free transfer while €9 million was paid to Real Betis to seal the return of Emerson Royale.
Newly elected president Joan Laporta has made huge progress in contract talks with Lionel Messi and the Argentine is now expected to remain at the club. Leo's stay could affect Francisco Trincao as the Portuguese's favorite right wing is occupied by the Barcelona captain.
Philippe Coutinho and Ansu Fati are scheduled to return from their injury layoffs ahead of the preseason. Ousmane Dembele is projected to be fit just a week or two after the restart. Laporta also promised to make two or three more new signings and it's believed that one attacker would be included.
Francisco Trincao: lost in Barcelona's congested attack
As it stands, Barcelona are already overcrowded in the attack. Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Philippe Coutinho, Ansu Fati, Sergio Aguero, Memphis Depay, Martin Braithwaite, Matheus Fernandes and a potential addition. Trincao doesn't stand a chance among these heavyweights. As a result, one could end up thinking about what Barca should do with the Portuguese.
One of the options on the table is to part ways with the winger before next season. The Catalan giants are in a dire financial situation at the moment. They could raise some cash by selling him and take one step towards reducing their wage bill.
Since the first option may not make much difference, Laporta could also decide to keep Francisco Trincao. To be honest, the winger has the potential to become a great player. He is vastly talented, highly technical and perfectly suits Barca's system.
Staying back and learning from the great attackers in the ranks would help his development. With the club looking to clear the wage bill and raise income by moving players on, it's certain that some of his competitors will soon park their bags. He could win with just a little patience.
The best suggestion, however, could be to send the 21-year-old on loan to continue his development without hindrance and wait for his time to fulfill his ambitions in the Barcelona jersey. A loan switch to another La Liga club wouldn't be a bad option. He surely won't be short of suitors.
