The 18-year-old has been linked to Camp Nou as Robert Lewandowski’s backup
Author: Soorya G
Xavi Hernández, Barcelona legend and La Liga-winning coach, has made it clear that he is not looking to sign a center forward, despite several reports linking young Brazilian Vitor Roque to the Blaugrana club. The 18-year-old Brazilian currently plays for Athletico Paranense in the Brasileirão and has made quite an impression. Roque attracted the attention of several big clubs, among which Barcelona was believed to be the most prominent. However, Xavi’s most recent statement seems to paint a different picture, after the coach mentioned that there were other priority positions that needed to be filled and that he had a plethora of options to take on the striker’s role.
Barcelona were without an experienced striker for a season without the legendary Luis Suárez, who left the club in 2021, but they found another reliable source of goals in Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, who announced himself in excellent form, winning the Pichichi in his first season in the Spanish top flight after scoring 23 goals in the season, ahead of Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema, who scored 19 goals. As such, Xavi believes there is no need to go after a striker at the moment, with options such as Ferran Torres, who has experience of playing as a false nine, at his disposal.
The La Liga champions also have players like Ansu Fati at the club, who seems to have decided not to move to Barcelona. There is also the possibility of securing the services of Yannick Ferreira Carrasco, who was part of the deal involving Memphis Depay. Although Carrasco is a winger and can’t fulfill the functions of a striker, Barcelona are moving heaven and earth to bring back Lionel Messi, whose arrival could completely change the equation.
Messi bid farewell to the Parc de Princes before Paris Saint-Germain’s last league match against Clermont Foot, a game they lost 3-2. He is expected to move to Barcelona if FFP regulations allow, with Al-Hilal and MLS side Inter Miami among his other options.