FC Barcelona Could Incorporate Vitor Roque Now — On One Condition

FC Barcelona could incorporate Brazilian teen sensation Vitor Roque into Xavi Hernandez’s first team squad this summer, with the player also wanting to arrive now according to AS correspondent Javi Miguel. Yet the much-needed coup would only be possible on one condition.

Vitor Roque’s signing was completed last month through an agreement with his club Athletico Paranaense.

Barca agreed to pay the Curitiba club €30 million ($33 million) plus €31 million ($34 million) in add-ons that will be handed over if the 18-year-old scores a certain amount of goals, wins titles and scoops individual accolades such as the Ballon d’Or in Blaugrana.

In an ideal world, Vitor Roque would have arrived already to join Xavi’s 32-man squad in the U.S. where they completed a preseason tour in Las Vegas on Tuesday via a 1-0 win over AC Milan sealed through an Ansu Fati screamer.

Because of Barca’s problems navigating Financial Fair Play limits, however, the plan was to let the youngster officially join when these have been relaxed by La Liga in the autumn.

Vitor Roque would therefore cross the Atlantic in the January transfer window of 2024, yet none of this took into account that Ousmane Dembele would leave the club in a shock move to Paris Saint-Germain.

In the coming days, ‘The Mosquito’ is expected to complete a €50 million ($55 million) transfer to the Ligue 1 giants which leaves Xavi short-staffed on the wings.

There should be money freed up to navigate Financial Fair Play through the transfer fee received – just €25 million ($27.5 million) because the other 50% will go to Dembele and his agent – and getting the Frenchman’s salary off the books.

Vitor Roque, who can operate on either flank or as a striker, wants to complete his dream move already according to Javi Miguel and not wait around until the turn of the year.

But that is dependent on how far Athletico go in the South American equivalent of the Champions League, the Copa Libertadores.

Vitor Roque helped them reach a second final in club history in 2022, but a side led by caretaker manager Wesley Carvalho now have a mountain to climb in the round of 16 after losing 3-1 away to Bolivar in the first leg on Tuesday night.

If Athletico aren’t able to overturn the deficit next week in the return leg and are knocked out, Vitor Roque can already join Barca to bolster their attack providing the Catalans can make the numbers work before August 31.

This development would eliminate the need to go out on the market and buy an expensive replacement for Dembele, with the likes of Ansu Fati, Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres also available to be fielded out wide.

With whatever cash is left over for signings, Barca can focus on a right back and perhaps another midfielder.