Barcelona get what they want with Vitor Roque’s departure from Athletico six months in advance

Author: Soorya G

Brazilian team Athletico Paranense have admitted and decided that talented 18-year-old striker Vitor Roque will leave for Barcelona six months earlier than originally planned, with his transfer scheduled for January 2024. In the deal signed in July, Athletico and Barcelona had agreed that the player would remain in Brazil until the end of the 2023/24 season. However, Barcelona representatives, including coach Xavi, have reinforced their desire to have the center-forward in their squad ahead of the original deal.

An attempt to speed up his transfer was made after Athletico were knocked out of the Copa Libertadores in the round of 16 by Bolívar. The Brazilian club vetoed the transfer, claiming that their priority was to secure a place in the Libertadores through the Campeonato Brasileiro. On Monday, Barcelona’s sporting director Deco arrived in Curitiba to discuss the matter with the player and Athletico’s management. Deco had handled all the negotiations with Athletico’s executive, Alexandre Mattos.

Deco’s objective is to provide peace of mind with regard to financial fair play, since Barcelona’s salary cap has fallen from 649 million to 270 million euros. In order to accommodate the Brazilian striker, the club will need to sell a player to make room in the budget or look for alternative sources of income, such as sponsorships or asset sales.

Understanding the scenario, Vitor Roque’s family is planning to travel to Barcelona in November to plan his future in the Spanish city, regardless of when the teenager moves to Catalonia. At the time of the transfer, although his departure was scheduled for July 2024, the possibility of Vitor Roque moving in January had already been discussed. Following the player’s injury in the match against Internacional on September 21, the clubs went back over their plans and reached an agreement on an early transfer.

The striker suffered a rupture of two ligaments in his right ankle and is undergoing treatment at Athletico’s training center. The average recovery time is three months, but Athletico believe he could be ready to return in November. Vitor Roque’s agent, André Cury, believes that the player could be fully recovered from his injury by mid-November. This means that he will be able to play in the last five rounds of the Brazilian Championship. The agent also stated this week that everything is ready for Vitor Roque to join Barcelona in January, and that no further setbacks are expected in the transfer.