Barcelona will likely sign 18-year-old Brazilian wonderkid Vitor Roque in the January transfer window for a base fee of €30-35 million.
According to a report by Spanish outlet MARCA, Vitor Roque is closing in on joining Barcelona. But instead of moving to the Catalan club this summer, he will complete the switch in the January transfer window. And Barcelona will pay €30-35 million to land the 18-year-old Athletico-PR wonderkid.
Vitor Roque is one of the best young strikers in the world, with his stock rising exponentially in a year. The Brazilian prodigy was nowhere to be seen at the start of 2022. But he has stepped up considerably since moving to Athletic Paranaense in April 2022 while making his mark on the international stage.
The 18-year-old helped deliver the Under-20 South American Championships. In addition, he has also made his debut for the Brazilian national side. Meanwhile, Vitor Roque’s numbers this season are impressive as he has ten goals and five assists in 25 appearances across all competitions. And the youngster’s progress has captured the attention of several top clubs, including Barcelona.
Premier League clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea also showed interest in the 18-year-old. But he had his heart set on joining Barcelona and rebuffed approaches from the English outfits. And recent reports revealed that personal terms will not be an issue for the teenage sensation.
Vitor Roque has been crucial in this deal as Brazilian talent only wanted Barça — he was approached by 3 more European top clubs but decided to wait for Barça despite having no guarantees. 🔵🔴🇧🇷
Deco, taking care of negotiations as he considers Vitor a future top player. pic.twitter.com/5Xg7ZgJDVn
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 18, 2023
A few reports last week also claimed that Barcelona had sealed the agreement to secure his services. But those suggestions are seemingly wide of the mark, with the two clubs yet to finalise a deal. However, the report by MARCA has revealed that Barcelona will soon round off the transfer.
The report claims Barcelona will shell out a base fee in the region of €30-35 million. And they are working on finalising the deal for the January transfer window. Such an agreement will enable Athletico Paranaense to enjoy the entire 2023 season with the 18-year-old wonderkid in the squad.
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In addition, playing an entire season regularly will help the Brazilian international progress exponentially. And when he joins Barcelona, he can learn the ropes from Robert Lewandowski before becoming the first-choice striker in a few years.
