Barcelona make 17-year-old South American prodigy their priority target for the summer

Spotting and signing raw talents and betting on the future is the new fad in football. Yet, in a heavily inflated transfer market, it is the one strategy that has helped clubs set up their future.

Real Madrid’s signature of Endrick is the perfect example of how even the new approach is hitting hurdles. The men in white signed the 16-year-old from Palmeiras in December for a whopping €60 million transfer fee (including variables), showing that even the young talent market is now at the jaws of inflation.

Come June, Barcelona could find themselves in a similar situation. The Catalans see Athletico Paranaese striker Vitor Roque as the future of their forward line and wish to go all out for his signing. However, they must endure a stiff bidding war to ensure the same.

According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, Roque is Barcelona’s priority target. The player has several offers on the table from top European clubs but prefers to make a move to Spotify Camp Nou.

Further, the Blaugranas have reportedly promised the player’s entourage that they will travel to Brazil to negotiate with Athletico Paranaese over his signing.

Roque had a stunning display at the recently concluded South American U-20 Championship, helping his nation to the title and finishing as the top scorer. The accomplishment comes as the cherry on the cake of his meteoric ascent over the past year.

Keeping in mind the heavy competition for Roque’s signing, the Brazilian club are said to be patiently waiting for the summer to oversee a bidding war. Thus, Athletico Paranaese will not pin any price tag on the forward and hope to maximise their returns through Europe’s internal tussle.

A fee in the range of €30 to €40 million is proposed to be sufficient to sign the player in June. However, with clubs from England, Spain, and Italy interested and a €25 million offer already rejected, one could expect a significant bump in the figure.