Barcelona teenage prodigy stripped of shirt number amidst exit rumours

Vitor Roque’s journey with Barcelona appears to be approaching an uncertain and perhaps disappointing end. 

As the club looks to make a definitive decision about his future, current signs suggest that the Brazilian forward is not part of their new strategic vision, reports SPORT. 

A significant indicator of this shift is the announcement that Lamine Yamal will don the number 19 jersey this season, a number Vitor Roque had worn since his arrival at Barcelona. 

As it stands, Roque finds himself without a squad number and faces the possibility of not being registered if the club decides to part ways with him as they seem open to listening to offers for his transfer.

A valiant attempt to replace Lewandowski

Roque was brought to Barcelona for a little over €30 million during the January transfer window as a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski. It was a considerable investment, reflecting a bold move by the club. 

However, over the last six months of the season, Xavi, the then-coach, did not significantly feature him in the squad. 

He made it clear to the club that he did not see Roque fitting into his plans, pushing the management to consider offloading the player despite the substantial financial outlay made to secure his services.

Vitor Roque is not wanted by Barcelona. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Currently, Roque’s chances of remaining at Barcelona are slim. The forward positions are predominantly occupied and the club is actively pursuing additional talents like Nico Williams and Joao Felix, making Roque the first likely candidate to be sacrificed. 

Barcelona are exploring several avenues

At the onset of the summer, Barcelona explored the possibility of loaning Vitor Roque to another club. Several European teams showed interest, with Porto emerging as a leading contender. 

However, none of these inquiries materialized into concrete offers. Officially, the club maintains that a final decision regarding Roque will be made at the end of the pre-season. 

Nevertheless, it is evident that Barcelona are open to selling him and surprisingly, potential buyers might not come from Europe but rather from Saudi Arabia.

Despite these developments, Roque’s camp is resistant to the idea of leaving Barcelona. The player chose Barcelona over other suitors and is puzzled by the club’s sudden change in stance. 

His primary desire is to play regular football, but on the other hand, Barcelona might prioritise recouping their investment and deciding against registering him, which would also help them manage their salary cap more effectively to facilitate new signings.