Barcelona’s emergency signing of a replacement for Gavi will not impact Vitor Roque plans – report

Gavi’s ACL tear has now forced Barcelona to alter their transfer strategy altogether and if a report from SPORT is to be believed, sporting director Deco is looking to sign a replacement who could arrive on loan for the rest of the season.

The aforementioned outlet claims that Deco is actively seeking to secure a loan deal in January for a player of Champions League calibre to fill the void left by Gavi. 

Interestingly enough, the swift acquisition of this loan player will have no impact on the arrival of Vitor Roque into the team.

Situation is very complex

Before Gavi’s injury, Barcelona were very clear about the idea that the priority would be given to Roque’s acquisition and not a midfielder.

But since the young midfielder will not be available for the rest of the season, the team would need numbers to cover up the position.

The outlet adds that given the prolonged nature of the injury, the club has the option to integrate a player into the team until the end of the season, albeit under specific stipulations.

The player’s contract would be limited to June, and his salary cannot exceed 80% of Gavi’s current earnings. For that matter, Barcelona can explore several avenues like signing a player from a different team or adding someone who is currently a free agent.

Xavi asked for a midfielder last summer

At Barcelona, the club is aware of the situation and has initiated a thorough examination of the transfer market. 

It is to be noted that Xavi had expressed a desire to bolster the midfield even last summer and while Fermin Lopez provided a temporary solution, he persistently sought a suitable replacement for Sergio Busquets, something that was only delivered in the form of Oriol Romeu.

Within the club, discussions had begun regarding the strategic move for the winter market: whether to immediately bring in Roque or to integrate a midfielder. The recent injury to Gavi seemed to influence the decision in favour of the latter option.

But now, it is being suggested that the plans to replace Gavi will not affect the schemes to incorporate Roque in January.

The arrival of this emergency signing will not affect the incorporation of Vitor Roque in any way. Barça are working here to generate significant income through the definitive sale of Barça Studios. If they achieve it, the Brazilian forward will start playing from January 1.