December 27, (THEWILL) – Barcelona have announced the capture of highly-rated teenage Brazilian striker, Vitor Roque, from Atletico Paranaense. The 18-year-old has put pen to paper on a seven-and-a-half-year contract at the Camp Nou, keeping him in Catalonia until June 2031.
Roque’s deal contains an astronomical €500 million release clause. He landed in Barcelona in the early hours of Wednesday morning, posing for photos as he begins the next chapter of his fledgling career with the La Liga giants.
Despite his young age, Roque arrives in Spain with a burgeoning reputation. He made history by debuting for Cruzeiro, aged just 16 in May 2021, becoming the club’s youngest-ever player. After netting 14 goals in 47 games across all competitions for them, he sealed a £4 million switch to Athletico in April 2022.
The powerful striker enjoyed a stellar year in 2022. He helped Athletico clinch their first State Championship title in three years and was named to the Copa Libertadores Team of the Tournament. Roque also jointly top-scored as Brazil won the U20 South American Championship this year.
Roque heads to Catalonia having scored 21 goals and provided eight assists last season for Athletico across 45 matches. However, he faces a tough task to immediately break into Xavi Hernandez’s starting eleven. Barcelona currently sit fourth in La Liga, seven points adrift of leaders Real Madrid as they aim to retain their domestic crown.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
