Deco's first Barcelona challenge is to sign striker Vitor Roque

The signing of Vitor Roque was one that Jordi Cruyff wanted to make before leaving Barça. The still sporting director has always been clear that the Brazilian is a top player and that it could be one of those strategic operations that would mark the future of the Blaugrana. The teenager could be the replacement for Lewandowski in the not-too-distant future.

That's why Barça asked Deco to start pulling strings in Brazil so that Vitor Roque does not escape them. There was a meeting in Barcelona once the January transfer window closed in which the Blaugrana asked the ex-footballer to speak with Roque's camp to block his future so that only they have options to sign him. And Deco did his job even without knowing if the Blaugrana would have enough money to close the deal.

Deco will now direct the club's sporting destiny as Cruyff's successor and it is also clear to him that Roque is a star for the future. After several meetings, Deco is clear that his first challenge will be to make the striker's arrival possible either this summer or next, depending on the club's financial availability. Barça have already drawn the lines of the new sporting project and there will not be enough money for everything. 

The priorities are to bring back Messi and reshape the midfield after the departure of Sergio Busquets. From there, everything will depend on the departures that can be made and the million-dollar sales that are being considered within the club. But one thing is the approach and quite another is that the players chosen to leave receive the desired offers. But Barça are working on it.

What is clear to Deco is that if there is revenue, an effort should be made to bring in Roque before other teams like Arsenal move in. In Brazil, nobody marries anyone and they are going to sell the player to the highest bidder, even if Roque is very excited about moving to Camp Nou.

It is not going to be easy to balance the numbers although they will try. But the option of Roque is still very much alive over the return of Aubameyang, which would be an emergency stopgap in the event that money could not be invested. Deco has the young Paranaense striker's entourage under control and is confident of being able to reach an agreement as long as an economic formula can be found that suits everyone. They are working on it. It could be Deco's first major coup at Barça.