Final touches being put on striker Vitor Roque's transfer to Barcelona

The signing of Vitor Roque is well underway and practically a done deal. At the weekend, an agreement in principle was reached between Barcelona and Ath. Paranaense at a meeting at the Ciutat Esportiva, with Deco, the future director of football at the Catalan club, and the CEO of the 'Furacao', Alexandre Mattos, at the head. And the next step, which could happen in the next few hours, could be definitive.

President Joan Laporta, who has already returned to Barcelona and has resumed his duties after a few days in Qatar, plans to meet with the sporting management to validate the verbal agreement reached with Ath Paranaense. In principle, there should not be any surprises, because the coaches support the arrival of 'Tigrinho', the South American striker, and Laporta was already aware of how the negotiations were developing.

When there is the presidential 'OK', the details will be finalised with Mattos, who is the interlocutor of the 'Furacao' because the president Mario Celso Petraglia is still on indefinite medical leave, and with the player's agent, André Cury. Everything will be done via telephone. 

It is not foreseen that there will be any more meetings between clubs, because the guidelines were already defined at the weekend. Barça will pay a transfer fee of 35 million euros, plus 10 million euros in variables for performance objectives, divided over three fiscal years.

With Vitor Roque, there is already a first salary agreement for the five years he will sign, until 30 June 2028. The player, and his family and professional entourage, have not put any impediment in adapting to the new salary reality of the squad. There are only small details to be solved. A mere formality. 

Once the final details of the operation have been settled, it will be time to draw up and sign the contracts. The 18-year-old striker will be a Blaugrana player from the beginning of July. All parties involved do not want to delay the operation unnecessarily. 

FFP

From then on, a new stage will begin that will only depend on Barcelona: to be able to make a gap in the salary margin to register 'Tigrinho' this summer to be a player for the 2023-24 season to all intents and purposes.

The scenario with which the club is working is that Xavi can count on the centre-forward, who comes in his first year to complement Lewandowski, before the end of the summer transfer window.

To achieve this, it is imperative that the 'exit operation' is not only activated but also that it produces positive results and that Barça can sell or even loan out those players who do not count for the coaching staff. 

In the first stage, all efforts are focused on finding a new destination (if it is before 30 June, all the better) for the players who have been on loan this season and who will not return to the club.

VItor Roque continues with his routine at Ath. Paranaense. This Wednesday he will play at the Morumbí stadium, against Sao Paulo, in a match of the 11th round of the Brasileirao 2023. It will be his first game after the pre-agreement reached between clubs for his landing at Barça.