€60m Barcelona attacker's future hangs in the balance due to registration issues: Reports
According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, there is still an air of uncertainty around wonderkid Vitor Roque's future at Barcelona. This is due to the issues pertinent to the status of his registration in the squad, which has now taken another confusing turn.
Roque's registration was granted temporarily by the league in place of midfielder Gavi, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear on duty with Spain in November 2023. The Spaniard was ruled out for the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign, allowing Barca to register the Brazilian, who was signed in January 2024.
Roque featured in 16 games in the second half of last season, with just two of them being starts. He scored just two goals, in back-to-back games against Osasuna and Alaves but was sent off within 13 minutes in the latter fixture.
With Gavi set to return for the start of the 2024-25 season, Barcelona must register Roque as a new signing while paying off €5 million of his transfer fee every season. Barca's total payable sum to the player's previous side, Athletico Paranaense, sits at €30 million plus €31 million in performance-based add-ons.
After Xavi was sacked by the Blaugrana, there has been widespread speculation about Roque's future in Catalonia. With the appointment of Hansi Flick, many reports claimed that the 19-year-old was expecting to stay but Barca's financial struggles may force them to part ways with the player.
If Barcelona are unable to register Roque for the next La Liga campaign, they will either have to loan him out or move him on permanently.
Barcelona forward Vitor Roque has multiple suitors for his signature in the summer
Barcelona forward Vitor Roque has multiple suitors for his signature in the summer from all across Europe. After the emergence of reports outlining Barca's potential inability to register him for the 2024-25 season, many European giants have expressed interest in signing him permanently or on loan.
According to Italian football expert Gianluca di Marzio, Fiorentina have inquired about the possibility of signing Roque on loan, with an option for a permanent transfer.
New Napoli manager Antonio Conte is preparing for star striker Victor Osimhen's potential departure in the summer by making Roque a priority signing. The Italian giants would be open to signing him on a loan or a permanent basis, according to Joaquim Piera of SPORT.
Piera also reports that Portuguese giants FC Porto have also showed considerable interest in signing the player on loan. Due to his good experiences there, Barcelona sporting director Deco also believes that it is the perfect place for Roque to hone his craft.
Porto even offered an initial permanent transfer structure with a buy-back clause included. Barca tried to offer Roque as part of a swap deal for winger Pepe but newly-elected Porto president Andre Villas-Boas rejected the deal.
Other clubs like Manchester United and Atletico Madrid have also been monitoring Roque's situation at Barcelona.