Barcelona might have lost the race for Arda Güler to bitter rivals Real Madrid, but the Spanish champions are on the brink of completing a deal for another highly-rated wonderkid.
That player is none other than Vitor Roque, one of Brazil's many gems, with the teenage striker all but agreeing to join the Blaugrana. The 18-year-old has been garnering attention all across Europe but had his heart set on Camp Nou, with the Catalan giants finalizing a deal with the attacker's current club Athletico Paranaense.
Alongside Endrick, Roque is seen as the next big no.9 for the Selecao and has been racking up rave reviews after scoring 15 goals in 30 appearances for his club in 2022/23, thus averaging a goal every other game at the age of 18. The likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, PSG, and Bayern Munich were all credited with interest in the forward but it is Barcelona that will acquire his services.
According to Relevo, the Spanish Primera Division holders have agreed a fee worth $38.4M plus add-ons for the teenager and have already sent over the contracts to Athletico Paranaense, which should be signed and announced very soon. Initially, the plan for Roque was to welcome the striker in January 2024. However, Laporta and Co. could incorporate him into Xavi's team immediately if La Liga's salary limits permit it.
While the Brazilian is young and raw, it is a brilliant deal. The attacker is immensely talented but will also not be required to perform immediately due to the presence of Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker will continue leading the line for the Blaugrana but given that he is 34, Barcelona have both an immediate and long-term solution in the no.9 role.
Though the Catalan giants have been the favorites to sign Roque for quite some time, it is still a huge boost for them to get this deal over the line following the Arda Güler. The Blaugrana made tremendous strides to sign the aforementioned Turkish midfielder but were ultimately beaten to his signature following Real Madrid's late hijack.
