Barcelona have made quite a few questionable transfer decisions in recent seasons. Of course, there are the title-baggers like Ousmane Dembele, Philippe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann but there have been smaller ones too.
The purchase of Vitor Roque is a transfer that Barcelona fans still don’t understand to date. At a time of extreme financial difficulty, the Catalan club spent €30m plus €31m add-ons to sign an unproven teenage striker based on Deco’s advice.
Six months down the line, it looks like an absolute flop of a signing. Vitor Roque has failed to convince Xavi Hernandez and Hansi Flick to give him a role in the squad at Barcelona and he is closing in on a loan move to Real Betis.
Let’s not forget that we are talking about two managers who have shown immense faith in youth and yet think Roque isn’t ready to play for Barcelona. As quoted by SPORT though, Brazilian legend Rivaldo thinks otherwise.
Rivaldo is a huge advocate of Roque’s move to Betis and thinks that the player will benefit from staying in Spain
“Vitor Roque is going to a great club. Betis is a great team to play for. I think it will be easier for him to compete in a league like the Spanish one, where he will show that he is a magnificent player.”
The Brazilian legend has also backed the 19-year-old to prove Barcelona wrong in not trusting his potential and making a decision way too early
“Being in the same competition as Barça will help him. He will show that the team was quick to accept his departure and let him go this season. He has everything to make his time at Betis a success, with minutes and the support of a great fan base”
Roque’s dream of playing for Barcelona has dissipated quite quickly but should he have a good loan stint at Betis, he might still convince the club that he has a future here. The 19-year-old is leaving the club on a simple loan deal with no option to buy.
The key for Roque to succeed at Betis is regular minutes and he might find that in Manuel Pellegrini’s team. Barcelona will keep a close eye on the teenager’s development and let’s see if he can convince the club to give him another chance in the future.
