Author: Vishwajit Sawant
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have stepped up their pursuit of Brazilian striker Vitor Roque, while Barcelona are racing against time to finalize the transfer. Barcelona have agreed a deal with Athletico Paranaense for €30 million, with an additional €20 million in bonuses. However, Alexandre Mattos (director of the Brazilian club) is impatient with the delay in receiving the necessary documents from Barcelona.
According to sources, Mattos has given Barcelona a 24-hour ultimatum to complete the deal, threatening to open the door to offers from other clubs if they don’t meet the deadline. As a result, Manchester United, Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain entered the fray, showing great willingness to secure the services of the highly-rated striker.
The trio of clubs have reportedly been in constant contact with Athletico Paranaense, expressing a desire to travel and finalize the transfer quickly. Manchester United and Tottenham have gone even further, offering to triple the salary initially proposed by Barcelona, estimated at 3.5 million euros for the first season at Camp Nou.
Roque’s availability could also affect Manchester United’s pursuit of Rasmus Hojlund, as the Brazilian striker has emerged as a potential alternative to Erik ten Hag’s preferred choice to lead the Red Devils’ front line next season.
Meanwhile, Atalanta’s stubbornness over Hojlund’s valuation persists, as they are demanding 60 million euros for the Dane. Despite Atalanta rejecting Manchester United’s initial offer of £30 million, the Premier League club remain determined to secure the promising young striker and are ready to do whatever it takes to make the transfer a reality.