Barcelona have been linked with a summer move for 18-year-old Brazilian forward Vitor Roque, also a target for Chelsea.
Vitor Roque has attracted the attention of a lot of clubs with his performances for Athletico Paranaense. And a report from Goal.com claims that Barcelona are hoping to sign him for a fee of around €45 million. The 18-year-old is also a target for Chelsea.
The Spanish giants are going through financial difficulties. But they remain interested in signing the South American prodigy this summer. Roque has been linked with clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United as well. It remains to be seen whether Barcelona can beat the competition from the Premier League clubs and secure his signature this summer.
Chelsea have been heavily linked with the player, and the Blues are reportedly pushing to secure his services. The West London club certainly have more financial resources compared to Barcelona, and they will fancy their chances of signing the 18-year-old.
The Brazilian striker is a prodigious talent for the big future ahead of him and will hope to join a big club this summer. The opportunity to play for Barcelona will undoubtedly be an attractive option for him. But the Blaugrana might struggle to pay up for him. Athletico-PR are unlikely to let the player leave for cheap. So Barcelona will have to spend big money in the coming months.
It is no secret that Barcelona will have to improve their attacking options in the summer. Robert Lewandowski is the only reliable performer in the final third right now. But the veteran Polish striker is approaching the final phase of his glittering career.
Players like Ferran Torres have been linked with moves away from the Spanish club in the summer. So Barcelona could look to offload some of their underperforming players and invest the money into new signings. The report claims that Barcelona will offer a package of €45 million to sign the 18-year-old. This will include a base fee of €35 million and €10 million in bonuses.
Roque has the potential to develop into a top-class forward in the near future, and a move to Barcelona could accelerate his development. The reported €45 million deal could look like a bargain in the long run if the Brazilian youngster manages to fulfil his potential at Camp Nou.
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Barcelona are yet to follow up on their interest and come forward with an official approach for the player. The Spanish giants have secured the La Liga title and will hope to improve the squad and do well in all competitions next season. Signing a quality attacker should be a top priority for them. Roque has seven goals and three assists to his name across all competitions and could be the ideal foil for Robert Levandowski next season.
