FC Barcelona have been quite invested in the signing of another striker in this upcoming summer transfer window. With quite a few names lined up or linked with the Blaugrana, the operation that seems to be getting the most attention and is being followed the most is that of young Brazilian talent Vitor Roque.
Vitor Roque attracts interest:
The 18-year-old center-forward from Athletico Paranaense continues to lure FC Barcelona. The Catalan club has been closely following his progress both at a club level and particularly at the international stage. His contributions and performances during the 2023 South American U-20 Championship have not gone unnoticed and only further cemented an interest in his signing.
Apart from Barcelona, other clubs remain interested too. The likes of Arsenal have also been linked to the Brazilian, with the gunners considering him a strategic signing for the future as well. However, as per recent reports from SPORT, another mammoth of the English Premier League has their interest awakened when it comes to Vitor Roque.
More competition for Barcelona:
Chelsea, the Blues of London, are now a part of the list of clubs interested in acquiring the services of the young striker. The case of Chelsea remains a bit peculiar however, as they currently house the Gabonese striker Pierre Emerick Aubameyang who himself is quite inclined and likely to leave the Blues in the summer given his falling out with the club.
Aubameyang was previously at Barcelona, coming in as a free agent, and then after a strong spell with the club left for around €10 million to his current English club. The player would be open to a move back to La Blaugrana and remains quite invested in the club even now, a case in point being his presence in the Barcelona dressing room following their El Clasico win and then celebrating with the players.
Chelsea reportedly were quite displeased with this action and are willing to part ways with the forward themselves. Their new owners would instead like to continue their recent trend of being willing to spend big on young talents and contracting them to Chelsea for rather longer than usual terms.
The likes of Enzo Fernandez from Benfica, Mykhaylo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk, Wesley Fofana from Leicester and most recently Andrey Santos from Vasco de Gama have altogether cost the Blues north of €280 million.
Vitor Roque becomes just the latest target for Chelsea as they continue to strive for a squad with enough quality to challenge for silverware next season in the league. This newfound competition for Roque from England will definitely be a tough challenge for Barcelona, who currently can not compete on a financial level with the assets that the teams from the Premier League currently possess.
If the “big” boys start an auction for the little boy, Barcelona will withdraw.