FC Barcelona Given 24 Hour Ultimatum Or Could Lose Vitor Roque Signing

FC Barcelona could lose Vitor Roque to a European rival, after his club Athletico Paranaense issued the Catalans with a 24-hour ultimatum to send them the necessary documents required to complete the Brazilian’s signing according to Mundo Deportivo.

Last month, outlets such as Spain’s oldest daily newspaper and their domestic rivals reported that Barca already had an agreement in principle to land the highly-rated teenager.

The La Liga champions and Athletico reportedly agreed a transfer worth €35 million plus €10 million in variables, though this has been adjusted to €30 million fixed and €20 million in add-ons according to Mundo Deportivo, plus another €5 million if Vitor Roque one day wins the Ballon d’Or.

Furthermore, Roque allegedly has an agreement in place that will see him paid €3.5 million a year on a long-term contract that runs until June 30, 2029.

On Thursday, however, the same publication reports that Athletico are losing patience with Barca, with their sporting director Alexandre Mattos issuing an ultimatum to the Blaugrana.

Put simply, Barca must send all the documents required to definitively finalize the transfer or Athletico will start contemplating offers from other European heavyweights.

News of this development comes on the same day that MD‘s main competitor SPORT reports there is a “triple offensive” for Roque’s signature from Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester United.

All three of these clubs can afford to pay more than Barca in their current fragile economic predicament, plus raise the prodigy’s salary to €10 million while offering his family and agent lucrative bonuses too.

Vitor Roque remains dedicated to Barca and has given his word he will turn down other proposals that come this way, but he cannot stop Athletico from picking up the phone when Europe calls to try and take him away to France or England.

With Arda Guler’s signing by Real Madrid announced today, Barca cannot afford to lose out on another potential world class talent and have egg on their faces again.

President Joan Laporta is being criticized by some quarters for revealing the club’s interest in Guler and the fact his sporting director Deco traveled to Istanbul to try and seal his signature from Fenerbahce only for the youngster to choose Los Blancos instead.

Though Real Madrid have never been in serious contention for Vitor Roque because they already have his compatriot Endrick set to arrive from Palmeiras in 2024, missing out on Roque would be one more embarrassment for Barca and have echoes of the way Madrid talents Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo snubbed them to opt for the Bernabeu.

Even if they don’t sign anyone else this summer, Barca cannot let Vitor Roque slip through their fingers and have to speed up the process of satisfying Athletico before they look to cash in elsewhere.