Report – Saudi giants intensify pursuit of Barcelona’s teenage forward

According to a report from SPORT, Saudi Arabian football club Al Hilal are intensifying their pursuit of Barcelona forward Vitor Roque. 

Roque’s future with Barcelona, under coach Hansi Flick, is currently uncertain. Given Barcelona’s ongoing financial issues and their sporting plans, the possibility of the Brazilian striker leaving the club cannot be dismissed.

Meanwhile, interest from Saudi Arabia emerged about a week ago and recently, it has been reported that Al Hilal are not only interested in Roque’s situation but that Barcelona are also open to the idea of transferring him this summer. 

Jorge Jesus wants Roque

It is said that Coach Jorge Jesus of Al Hilal would be thrilled to welcome Roque. Moreover, Barcelona are keen on making a significant transfer this summer to ensure they have enough financial resources to participate in the transfer market confidently as they have a couple of targets in mind.

Vitor Roque is likely to leave Barcelona this summer. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Now, Barcelona must consider a transfer fee for Roque that is set at €30 million, with an additional €31 million in potential add-ons. 

It is widely assumed that the offer from Saudi Arabia would be considerably higher than the initial €30 million, which would allow Barcelona to recover from one of their more challenging investments.

Al Hilal are speeding up

Al Hilal initially explored the possibility of signing Roque a few days ago. They have now reignited their interest, especially after new rumours suggested Roque might be targeted by other teams such as Brazilian club Corinthians or Spanish La Liga teams Betis and Sevilla. 

Roque’s agent, Andre Cury, was quick to dismiss the notion of a return to Brazilian football.

The potential move to Al Hilal comes at a time when Barcelona are under financial strain. The club is looking to offload players who are not integral to their immediate plans to stabilise their finances. 

Roque, despite his talent and potential, finds himself in a position where he is not getting enough playing time. This makes a transfer a viable option for both the player and the club.