Manchester United are drawing up plans for the summer transfer window and Ruben Amorim will target a player that he knows well from Braga and Sporting Lisbon, Francisco Trincao.
Old Trafford boss Ruben Amorim will look to put his fingerprints on the Manchester United team he inherited from Erik ten Hag at the end of the season - and is primed to return to his former club Sporting Lisbon to test their resolve to keep £30million-rated winger Francisco Trincao.
The Red Devils hope to raise some significant cash by selling Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony after allowing the trio to leave the club on loan. As revealed in Sunday's edition of the Mirror, Amorim wants a wide man he can trust - and he signed the former Barcelona and Wolves forward when he was at Sporting, having coached him at Braga during the 2019-20 season.
United are, however, braced for more competition, with Arsenal and Newcastle putting him on their radar, while Barca have a buy-back option. Trincao, 25, spent one year in Barcelona and Wolverhampton respectively.
The Portugal international played alongside Lionel Messi during the 2020-21 campaign, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 42 games. At Wolves the following season, Trincao once again put up three goals and one assist across 30 appearances.
Since his initial loan move to Sporting in 2022, the ex-Braga prospect has rediscovered his mojo, much thanks to reuniting with Amorim. Trincao has already eclipsed his best season for goals and assists, registering 21 so far.
His form has earned him a recall to the Portugal squad under Roberto Martinez, who turned to Trincao in the dying embers of their Nations League quarter-final clash with Denmark on Sunday which was played at Sporting's home ground. Trincao only needed five minutes to score the all-important equaliser.
One minute into extra-time, the 25-year-old scored again to put Portugal ahead on aggregate before team-mate and ex-United target Goncalo Ramos wrapped up the win. Portugal will face hosts Germany in the Nations League semi-finals on June 4. Victory would see them face either Spain or France.
That'll be another chance for Trincao to put himself in the shop window, saying after his super-sub appearance: "I ended up being happy [with the goals], but I'm happier because of the win. The most important thing was to go through. Whoever scored didn't really matter. I'm happy because of the victory, the fans deserve it."
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He also revealed that United captain Bruno Fernandes had given him some crucial advice ahead of the game. "I just had the chance to shoot. I have to shoot more often because I think I've got a good shot. They often ask me to do that, both at club level and here," Trincao explained.
"Bruno said it to me just today. I think I have to take advantage of situations and shoot more times whenever the ball is near or in the box. I ended up having luck and scoring."
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