Barcelona looks as if they have tied up a deal for Brazilian teenager Vitor Roque, and it may well be this week that a deal is announced.
The 18-year-old striker is set to be given a six-year contract that will keep him at Barcelona until 2029, according to MD. They also say that the agreement may well be made official in the next days. His salary will not be more than €3m to begin with.
The deal is believed to be worth €35m plus an extra €10m in variables, which Barcelona will pay in instalments, but there are still a few variables in the deal too. The big question is whether he will join the club now or in January.
If Barcelona can generate enough room in their salary limit, then he will arrive at the club this summer, but should that not be the case, then Roque will arrive in January. Athletico PR prefer him to stay until January, but want to know one way or another whether it is planned for now or the winter window, so that they can move for a replacement before the 30th of July transfer deadline in Brazil.
If Roque does arrive now, it would make the transition for the teenager much easier. He would arrive at the club fully fit, during a more agreeable and familiar climate, and with a chance to adapt to the style of play in preseason. Arriving in January would no doubt have him playing catch-up for the second half of the season, and Barcelona would be left without a back-up forward for the first half of the season.