Although he arrived only in the last winter transfer window, with very high hopes, Vitor Roque is finding his Barcelona future to be already surrounded by uncertainty. The Brazilian has not been able to become as important a member of the squad as was anticipated, and the Catalans will have to make a decision about him this summer.
In the last few weeks, reports from the Spanish media have linked him with a loan move away from the Catalan club. Reportedly, FC Barcelona are considering this option if they are unable to get him registered with La Liga this summer, and also to help him get acclimatized to Spanish and European football at a club with less pressure.
In this regard, Mundo Deportivo reports that there are already several clubs interested in the Brazilian striker, with sides like Manchester United, Napoli, Nice, and Olympique Lyonnais already having contacted the player’s agent. Two other La Liga clubs, Sevilla and Real Betis, were already considering getting Roque on loan.
However, the report denies any truth in the rumors claiming that Roque can be a part of an exchange operation between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid involving Joao Felix.
The player himself is not too keen on a move away from Barcelona so early after his arrival and is hopeful that he will get the chance to succeed here. He will agree to a loan only if it becomes clear that there is no place for him in the Catalan team.
If the player does not agree to a loan move, a complicated situation could arise in which he will be technically a free agent, if Barcelona is unable to get him registered with La Liga because of their salary cap.
Players like Inigo Martinez and Ilkay Gundogan have already faced the possibility of such a situation in the previous summer transfer window, and while it cannot be fully ruled out for the 19-year-old Brazilian wonderkid this summer, the chances of such a possibility arising are very slim.
