Barcelona has officially announced the signing of leading forward Vitor Roque from Athletico-PR for a substantial fee of around €40 million ($44m).
According to the recent report from ESPN, Barcelona had reached an agreement with the Brazilian club to acquire Roque. The 18-year-old player has now signed a contract with Barcelona until the end of the 2030-31 season, with plans to join his new teammates next summer.
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The release clause for Roque has been set at a staggering €500 million.
Roque’s arrival marks Barcelona’s third signing this summer, with Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez joining as free agents after their contracts expired with Manchester City and Athletic Club, respectively.
With veteran striker Robert Lewandowski turning 35 in August, securing a reliable backup and potential successor has been a top priority for Barcelona this summer.
An ESPN report from June highlighted Roque as the primary target. Negotiations, led by sporting director Deco, quickly gained momentum.
Vitor Roque grabbed Barcelona’s attention by delivering stellar performances for both Athletico and the Brazilian youth teams. His contribution helped Athletico reach the final of the Copa Libertadores last season, and he recently earned his first senior cap for Brazil.
In his 65 appearances for Athletico, the teenager has scored an impressive 22 goals, including six goals in his last six games.
“When it comes to Roque, he is all about goals,” stated Laporta to Mundo Deportivo on Tuesday. He added, “He possesses a unique style that can’t be compared to Ronaldo or Romario, both of whom are retired Brazil strikers. Inside the box, he is lethal with both feet. He brings a different dimension to Barcelona. In terms of comparison, Ronaldo, who was an unstoppable force for us, comes to mind. [Roque] has enormous potential, is young, powerful, and hails from Brazil.”
