Francisco Trincao’s name has been quite prominent during the international break so far.
Following his goal and assist against Leeds United, the on-loan Wolves winger is now taking centre stage in a number of transfer reports.
His parent club Barcelona obviously have Adama Traore on loan right now.
They have the option to buy him for £29 million. But there have been suggestions they can’t afford to trigger that clause.
Joan Laporta recently admitted that things were difficult for them financially.
So there have been claims that they could seek to offer Trincao in a swap deal.
It is interesting that Barca seem keen to use Trincao to sign other players. They clearly don’t see him as someone who can make the grade back at the Nou Camp.
Trincao has struggled for consistency for the most part this season.
His goals and assist numbers have been fairly disappointing.
But one wonders if Wolves might just end up doing the swap deal involving Traore at the end of the season, if anything to avoid another Vitinha-style situation.
Last term, the Porto star was on loan at Molineux and produced flashes of his talent.
Ultimately though, officials decided he didn’t quite show enough to warrant the club buying him permanently.
Now of course, Vitinha has gone back to Porto and has had an absolutely tremendous season. He has become one of their key players.
Wolves will not want another Vitinha situation and may therefore swap Traore for Trincao
Wolves fans have watched in horror as Vitinha has emerged as one of Europe’s top young talents.
He was able to slip through the net. And it could be that Wolves see Trincao in the same boat as Vitinha.
He has struggled a bit at times this season. But there is no doubt he has shown glimpses of his quality, just as Vitinha did.
Given that Traore won’t sign an extension at Molineux, there’s every chance Wolves will just go ahead and do the swap deal, with Barca to perhaps pay a little bit of cash in addition (since Traore’s option to buy was higher than Trincao’s).
Some people may not want to see that.
But it’s something that definitely has potential to happen. Laporta has already branded it ‘a very good option’. It’s just whether Trincao himself would be game to become a permanent Molineux resident.