The current situation at FC Barcelona suggests that Ousmane Dembele’s departure from the Catalan club is imminent and all that is required is official confirmation from the two interested clubs.
In terms of personnel, both Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez and first captain Sergi Roberto have confirmed the news of Dembele’s departure and the disappointment that comes along with it.
However, it is widely speculated that Barcelona do not wish to stand idle following the departure of the Frenchman, and will now look to reinforce their side, something that Xavi Hernandez also stated.
As per Spanish journalist Javi Miguel, one of the first priorities for Barcelona now is to reinforce the attack as soon as possible to compensate for the loss of one of their most prized assets in Dembele by accelerating the arrival of a particular South American gem.
Vitor Roque is an 18-year-old attacking prodigy who currently plays for Brazilian side Athletico Paranaense and has an agreement in place with Barcelona that would have seen him arrive to Catalonia in January of 2024 or the following summer.
However, now that an unexpected departure of Dembele is on the horizon, Javi Miguel states that Barcelona will proceed with the utmost urgency to bring Vitor Roque to Barcelona this very summer in order to reinforce the attack as urgently as possible.
The club believes the financial compensation received by Dembele’s departure would be substantial to incorporate Roque into the Barcelona side this summer rather than having to prolong it.
Further detail as per the claim from the reporter states that should Athletico Paranaense be eliminated from the Copa Libertadores before the 31st of August, Barcelona will go all-out to bring Roque to Spain promptly.
As it stands, the Brazilian outfit has lost the first leg of the round of 16 stage of Copa Libertadores 3-1, and it will be a tall task for them to overcome their opponents in the upcoming second leg.
If Roque and his side are unable to overcome the deficit in the scoreline, Barcelona will move swiftly to secure the arrival of the 18-year-old this August to ensure the Catalans are not left understaffed in their offensive depth.
