Barcelona reportedly set an asking price of £22m for Vitor Roque, with Palmeiras pushing to sign the attacker, who is currently on loan at Real Betis.
Barcelona have reportedly set an asking price of €27m (£22m) for Vitor Roque, with Palmeiras said to be pushing to sign the attacker before the Brazilian transfer window closes on February 28.
The 19-year-old made the move to Barcelona from Athletico Paranaense in January 2024, and he featured on 16 occasions for the Catalan outfit in the second half of the 2023-24 campaign, scoring twice.
Roque made the move to Real Betis on loan last summer, though, and he has featured on 31 occasions for the Seville outfit during the 2024-25 campaign, scoring seven goals and registering two assists in the process.
As it stands, the Brazilian is set to spend the remainder of the season with Real Betis before returning to Barcelona, but it is understood that Palmeiras are pushing to sign him before the closing of the Brazilian transfer window at the end of the month.
According to SPORT, Barcelona are willing to let the attacker leave providing that their valuation is met, with the Catalan giants wanting €27m (£22m).
The report claims that Palmeiras want to pay €24m (£20m), and there is a hope that an agreement can be struck, but Real Betis must also be willing to end the loan agreement early, with the La Liga side due compensation.
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Palmeiras ‘bidding to sign Roque from Barcelona’
Barcelona are also thought to be keen for a sell-on clause to be included, with the Catalan outfit believing that he could make a big-money switch in the future due to his potential.
Roque has recently lost his starting role at Real Betis due to the form of Cedric Bakambu, but the club’s head coach Manuel Pellegrini hit back at suggestions that the teenager is no longer an automatic pick for the Seville team.
“‘Vitor has not lost anything, he is part of the squad. He came on the other day, he’s going to play today. That he’s not playing some games because Cucho [Hernandez] or Bakambu are there…,” Mundo Deportivo quoted Pellegrini as saying ahead of Real Betis’ Conference League clash against Gent on Thursday.
“Of all of them, Vitor is the one who has the most minutes. I repeat again, the current moment. It doesn’t mean that a player has been ostracised, far from it.”
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Is Roque expecting to play for Barcelona again?
Back in September, Roque admitted that he is unlikely to turn out for Barcelona again.
“It was a bit complicated for me. I had some opportunities, but not the way I had imagined. My mind is clear now, and I’m focused on Betis and grateful for the chance to wear the national team shirt again,” SPORT quotes Roque as saying.
“I think it was complicated in general. I thought it was going to be different, both in the treatment and in the way of playing, as well as in the way the board spoke to me. But that’s over now.”
Real Betis are believed to be paying Roque’s full salary during his loan spell, while a permanent deal this summer is thought to have been discussed, but Palmeiras could now bring him back to Brazil.
Roque scored 28 goals and registered 11 assists in 81 appearances during his time at Athletico Paranaense.
