Manchester United are one of three clubs exploring a double transfer saga for two forwards as the summer transfer window heats up.
Manchester United are on the hunt for more forward options to join the club next season. In the 2024/25 campaign, Ruben Amorim’s side achieved their lowest ever Premier League points tally, largely due to a lack of goals.
So far, to rejuvenate the attack, the club have signed Matheus Cunha following a stellar season at Wolves. To finance additional incomings, the club are looking to move on a number of out-of-favour forwards, including Antony and Jadon Sancho.
United’s next signing looks likely to be Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo. Like Cunha, Mbuemo impressed last season, and United appear to have beaten Tottenham and Newcastle to the signing, with the last hurdle being the deal’s payment structure.
If United were unable to secure the signing of Mbuemo, then they have been linked with a number of alternatives. One of these options is a key component in a potential multi-player transfer saga.
United’s move for Trincao supported by Barcelona
While it seems likely that the Mbuemo move is a matter of when, not if, United do have alternatives if needed, including a potential reuniting of Amorim and Sporting Lisbon forward Francisco Trincao.
A report from Sport in Spain has identified United as one of the three leading clubs interested in signing the Portuguese winger, alongside Manchester City and Bayern Munich, with MailSport explaining that the summer window looks set to explode into life once the new PSR deadline passes on 1 July.
At this stage, Sporting are reluctant to sell Trinicao, who has won back-to-back league titles with them, and would prefer to retain the player instead. However, there is a belief that Sporting would be willing to part ways for the right price.
Sporting signed Trincao from Barcelona for a fee just shy of £7 million in 2023. Barcelona have a 50% sell-on clause in Trinicao’s contract, meaning they’ll receive half of any transfer money that Sporting receive for him. Previous reports indicated that Trinicao would cost around £30 million, meaning Barcelona would receive £15 million.
If Sporting were to allow Trincao to leave, then United may be his preferred destination. Of the 39 players Amorim signed at Sporting Lisbon, Trinicao was one of only three to have previously played for him at Braga. This clearly shows that the pair have a good working relationship and that they may be open to a third spell together.
The Sport report adds that Barcelona are in contact with Trinicaos’ agent, Jorge Mendes, to try and push a move through so they can receive the sell-on clause and, in turn, pursue the signing of a Manchester United player.
Trinicao’s move allows Rashford to join Barcelona
If United do make a move for Trincao and Barcelona receive their 50% sell-on clause, the Spanish side will be in a much stronger financial position to make a formal approach for Marcus Rashford.
Barcelona are not currently in the strongest financial position and are hoping to develop the squad without having to move on to many of their existing players. The activation of sell-on clauses for players who have previously been sold is their Ideal way to do this.
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Following Amorim’s appointment, Rashford quickly fell out of favour. In January, Amorim said that he would rather play United’s 63-year-old goalkeeping coach, Jorge Vital, than Rashford, and the winger went out on loan to Aston Villa shortly after this.
Since then, Rashford has been linked with a number of clubs across Europe, including Barcelona and has recently spoken about his desire to play alongside their young starlet, Lamine Yamel. Previous reports had indicated that Barcelona would prefer to sign Rashford on loan, at least for next season, but United would prefer a permanent transfer.
Even if Trinicao ends up choosing a different club or if United prioritise a move for a different player, then the Rashford deal can still happen. Trinicao’s sell-on-clause isn’t dependent on a specific destination, so any permanent move will provide Barcelona with the finances to facilitate a permanent move for Rashford that United are more likely to accept than a loan.
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