Although the possibility of Vitor Roque joining Barcelona this summer has never been entirely ruled out, it’s widely been accepted that the talented Brazilian forward would arrive in Spain either during the January transfer window or the summer of 2024, but the exit of Ousmane Dembele could alter the thinking.
According to a report in SPORT this morning, although there is a possibility that the arrival of Roque could be brought forward, there are numerous provisions and complications to overcome first.
The most obvious issue is the financial fair play regulations. Barcelona need the margin to cover both his transfer fee and salary, and while Dembele leaving will open up some space, more outgoings would be needed, especially if Xavi gets his wish and the La Liga champions sign another attacking midfielder and more importantly, a right back.
Outgoings are expected. Franck Kessie is wanted by Juventus and Clement Lenglet has been a long-term target of Tottenham. With the North London club arriving for the Joan Gamper trophy game next week, Barcelona have the perfect opportunity to secure a deal for their French centre-back
Barcelona would need the agreement of Athletico Paranaense
Even if the finances added up, Barca would still need to get Roque’s current team Athletico Paranaense to agree to move the deal forward, and considering they’re in the middle of their season, it’s unclear how willing they’d be to lose their number 9.
They’d almost certainly need to be eliminated from the Copa Libertadores. They find themselves 3-1 down from the first leg, with the second leg coming next Tuesday.
If Athletico advance to the quarter-finals there is very little chance they’ll agree to lose their star player.
This is as SPORT confirm, complete speculation. Barcelona have not yet contacted Roque or Athletico to inquire about potentially bringing him on board this summer. Although it’s believed that the striker is keen to make the move as soon as possible, and with the Dembele saga, it at least opens up the possibility.