Vitor Roque is linked with a summer move away from Athletico Paranaense, with Barcelona and Chelsea keen on signing him.
Vitor Roque is a prodigious young talent with a big future ahead of him. The likes of Chelsea and Barcelona are looking to sign him in the summer. A report from Mundo Deportivo claims that Chelsea are now moving swiftly to secure the services of the 18-year-old. But it will be interesting to see if Barcelona can hijack the move for the South American prodigy.
Roque is highly talented, and he could prove to be a quality long-term acquisition for both clubs. It is no secret that Chelsea need to bring in a quality centre-forward at the end of the season. Summer signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been largely underwhelming, and Armando Broja is ruled out with a long-term injury.
The Blues will have to bring in someone who can find the back of the net consistently, and the 18-year-old attacking prodigy has emerged as a viable target. On the other hand, Barcelona need to start planning for the future without Robert Lewandowski, and the Brazilian talent could be a quality replacement for the Barcelona stalwart.
Roque will be hoping to join a club where he will play regularly, and a move to Chelsea would probably be a better option for him right now. As long as Barcelona have Lewandowski in the first-team squad, the 18-year-old could struggle for regular game time at the Spanish club.
Furthermore, Chelsea have the financial resources to beat Barcelona to his signature and offer him a lucrative contract at the club. The Spanish outfit are going through financial difficulties, and they might not be able to pay him big money.
Apparently, the striker is valued at €40 million, and Chelsea can certainly afford that. The transfer could look like a bargain in the long run if the 18-year-old manages to adapt to English football and fulfil his potential at Stamford Bridge.
The teenage attacking prodigy is highly rated in South America, and he will need to decide on his next move carefully. He cannot afford to sit on the pitch at a big club in the coming seasons, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up. He has been linked with Arsenal as well.
