Barcelona will consider signing 20-year-old Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund from Serie A club Atalanta if they fail to land Vitor Roque.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Rasmus Hojlund is the subject of interest from Barcelona. The 20-year-old striker has been in tremendous form for Serie A club Atalanta this season. And the Blaugrana will launch the offensive to sign him if they fail to sign Vitor Roque in the summer transfer window.
Rasmus Hojlund has come leaps and bounds in a few months since joining Atalanta last summer. The Dane arrived in Italy after a short stint with Sturm Graz, having spent the early days of his career in his homeland. And he has established himself as one of the best strikers in Serie A this term.
The 20-year-old has managed eight goals and three assists in 28 appearances thus far for Atalanta. Hojlund has also been impressive on the international stage, finding the back of the net five times in four outings. Meanwhile, his market value has soared to €35 million in the last few months. And his progress has captured the attention of several high-profile clubs, including Barcelona.
Barcelona will delve into the market for a striker in the summer transfer window. They only signed Robert Lewandowski last summer. But while the Pole has been sensational for Barcelona, he is 34 years old. And as the final phase of Lewandowski’s glorious career approaches, the Blaugrana must lay down a succession plan for him.
Vitor Roque has thus emerged as the priority target for Barcelona. And the Catalan giants view the Brazilian prodigy as the long-term successor to Lewandowski. But Barcelona’s financial situation might not allow them to meet Athletico Paranaense’s asking price for the youngster.
Rasmus Hojlund has thus emerged as the contingency option for Vitor Roque. And considering the progress he has shown in the last few months, the 20-year-old can be a handy alternative. But Serie A giants Atalanta will likely demand much more than his market value of €35 million, which complicates matters for Barcelona.
However, the Catalan giants have another alternative on their radar, with Gift Orban emerging as a target. Nonetheless, Vitor Roque remains the priority, with Barcelona keen on signing him. But it will be interesting to see if Hojlund or Orban become the top target for the Blaugrana in the coming months.
