Barcelona star rejects chance to join Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal: Reports
19-year-old Barcelona striker Victor Roque has reportedly turned down an offer from reigning Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal. The Brazilian striker joined Barcelona in January 2024 for a reported fee of €30million plus significant add-ons.
However, his future at the club is shrouded in uncertainty, having failed to hit his stride since joining the Catalan club.
Al Hilal first made an offer to sign the player some days ago, but their approach was turned down, according to Fabrizio Romano. The transfer expert has again reported that the player and his entourage have rejected another offer from the Saudi Arabian club.
Barcelona are desperate to escape their financial worries and view parting ways with Victor Roque as an opportunity for a big-money sale. Barca reportedly value Roque at around €40 million and Al-Hilal are willing to pay more than the valuation, which will be music to the ears of the club's board.
Victor Roque is, however, keen on staying at Barca, as he believes he can earn a spot in Hansi Flick’s new project, even though he is aware that the club is actively looking to sell him. According to reports, he prefers a move to another European club if he can't continue at the Camp Nou.
Since joining the Catalan outfit, Victor Roque has scored two goals in his 16 appearances for the club.
Hansi Flick reacts to Pau Victor’s performance following Barcelona’s win against Real Madrid
Barcelona and Real Madrid squared off in a pre-season friendly El Clasico game that saw La Blaugrana secure a 2-1 victory over their Spanish rivals.
22-year-old forward Pau Victor was the major talking point of the game, as his brace helped his side secure the victory. After the match, their new boss, Hansi Flick, was full of praise for Victor.
Flick said, as per beIN SPORTS:
“We’ll see (if Pau Víctor will stay with the first team this year), but two games and three goals isn’t bad. He knows how to score goals, and that’s good for a forward, so we’ll see what happens. It’s the same for every player: the door is always open for the first team."
Apart from the Real Madrid game, Pau Victor also scored the opening goal in their first pre-season game against Manchester City.