Sporting Transfer Market: Dortmund Eyeing Trincão

Francisco Trincão isn't just Sporting's most-used player this season; he's also the squad's most internationally recognized star. Furthermore, he's one of the Lions' most sought-after talents in the transfer market. While Arab clubs have shown interest, A BOLA understands that Borussia Dortmund is also closely monitoring the 26-year-old forward, who is set for an exciting summer.

The Arab route has been linked to Trincão, much like it was for Luis Suárez, the Colombian forward signed from Almería at the start of the season for €22.1 million. Suárez's impressive numbers, particularly his 36 goals in 51 games, have mitigated the departure of prolific scorer Gyokeres. However, the German path has also emerged for the Portuguese international, with Dortmund, a German giant set to finish second in the Bundesliga this season with 70 points (16 behind champions Bayern) heading into the final matchday, now in the picture.

Dortmund has been scouting the number 17 in matches, and the reports can only be positive. With two games remaining in Sporting's season (Gil Vicente in the league and Torreense in the Portuguese Cup final), Trincão has already matched his best goal-scoring season with 13 goals, the same as in 2022/2023. He is also just two assists shy of his career-best 17 (2024/2025). Having played 4392 minutes, he is the most utilized Lion by coach Rui Borges, who has started him in 49 of the 52 games he's featured in.

Meanwhile, the English press has linked the forward to Liverpool, highlighting the significant impact Trincão has made this season. This interest stems not only from his performances in domestic competitions but, more notably, from his displays in the UEFA Champions League, where the green and whites were only eliminated in the quarter-finals by eventual finalists and Premier League leaders Arsenal (0-1/0-0).

Rui Borges is counting on Trincão, and the club's administration wants him to stay next season. However, they are well aware of the interest the number 17 is generating and the potential transfer fee he could command, which is expected to be no less than €50 million. The Lions are certainly conscious of the growing attention...

With stints at Barcelona and in the Premier League (he was on loan at Wolverhampton in 2021/2022), Trincão is one of the most prominent figures in Sporting's squad and the Portuguese league. This explains the constant interest from various clubs in Europe's top leagues. Last August, Sporting invested an additional €11 million to acquire the remaining 50 percent of Trincão's economic rights that still belonged to Barça, bringing the winger's total cost to €18 million. It's worth noting that the player initially arrived at Alvalade in 2022 on loan (with a €3 million fee), with the Lions then moving to purchase half of his rights the following year for €7 million.

On March 4th, Francisco Trincão extended his contract with the green and whites for an additional three seasons, from 2027 to 2030. His release clause remains set at €60 million.