Barcelona are in the driving seat to sign 18-year-old center forward Vitor Roque.
Roque, who has already been capped for the senior Brazilian national team, is believed to favor a move to Barcelona over other top European clubs but no agreement has been made so far due to Barcelona’s Financial Fair Play irregularities, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The youngster burst onto the scene last year scoring two goals in the Copa Libertadores, South America’s version of the Champions League, in his debut season with Club Athletico Paranaense. Despite his age, Roque believes the time is right to swap South America for Europe and is expected to make the move sooner in the summer transfer window rather than later.
Roque’s current deal at Athletico Paranaense lasts until 2027 so it is likely that an offer to prize him away this summer will have to be at least in excess of $30m. If Roque were to join Barcelona, he would be greeted by fellow Brazilian compatriot Raphinha, who joined the Catalans in the summer from Leeds United.