It is no secret that FC Barcelona remains in a rather vulnerable financial position. The struggles with financial fair play continue to plague the Catalan giants, and it shows in their transfer strategy. However, Barcelona have still gone to great lengths to acquire certain stars that they believe are worth taking a risk for.
One such star was undoubtedly Vitor Roque. Formerly a striker for Brazilian side Athletico Paranaense, the 18-year-old South American forward came to Barcelona in December after quite the lengthy transfer saga over the course of the summer.
However, he ultimately did end up arriving and was made available for Xavi Hernandez to use. Consequently, the Catalan coach ensured that it did not take too long for Roque to start getting a taste of what European football had to offer. With appearances, albeit brief, against both Las Palmas and Barbastro, Roque showed glimpses of his quality.
On the other hand, as highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, something else sticks out due to its peculiar nature. In Saudi Arabia, as Barcelona took on both Osasuna and Real Madrid, Vitor Roque was nowhere to be seen. Xavi, for whatever reason, chose not to make use of his latest signing.
While the coach did confirm that Roque was suffering from slight discomfort heading into the Osasuna encounter, the clash against Real Madrid had him fully fit for selection. However, Xavi still chose not to have the Brazilian tested against Los Blancos in Riyadh.
Roque, signed by Barcelona until 2029, was no cheap acquisition. Unlike most other ascending youngsters, Roque’s transfer cost quite the significant amount. Bought for €30 million, with an additional €31 million in variables, Roque’s arrival brought with it a lot of promise.
However, thus far at least, his inclusion has been quite limited. The Brazilian needs chances to be able to adapt and sort himself out at Barcelona. Yet, the only way those chances can come will be through Xavi’s selection and wishes.
