FC Barcelona have officially registered the newest addition on their roster, 18-year-old Brazilian forward Vitor Roque ahead of their clash against Las Palmas on Thursday, January 4 at the Gran Canaria in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain.
The reigning La Liga champions is in dire need of reinforcement up front, particularly given their difficulties in converting scoring opportunities.
Notably, Barcelona leads the entire Europe in the highest number of big chances missed, tallying 95, as reported by WhoScored.
Their current crop of forwards, which include Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Joao Felix, have not been up to par this season.
The Blaugrana club currently holds the fourth place in La Liga, trailing behind surprise frontrunners Girona, perennial rivals Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid in the standings.
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Who is Vitor Roque?
Vitor Roque is an 18-year-old Brazlian forward who was born on February 28, 2005.
In Brazil, Roque has rapidly risen through the ranks, establishing himself as one of the nation's most promising prospects.
His prowess was evident during the 2023 U-20 Copa America Championship, where he emerged as the tournament's joint top scorer with six goals alongside his compatriot Andrey Santos, aiding Brazil in securing their 12th championship in the tournament.
Before joining Barcelona, Roque played for the Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense, which paid a R$ 24 million release clause (equivalent to $4.8 million) to secure him from his previous team, fellow Brazilian side Cruzeiro, in 2022. It was the biggest transfer in Athletico Paranaense's history up to that point.
The 5-foot-8 forward has notched up 28 goals and provided eleven assists in 81 appearances for his new club in all competitions over the past year, before heading to Europe to continue his blossoming football career.
How much did Barcelona pay to sign Vitor Roque?
Barcelona had already previously secured the acquisition of Roque in the summer of 2023 for an approximate fee of €40 million ($44 million). However, his official integration into the team was scheduled for January 2024.
The young talent has inked a seven-year contract that ties him to the Camp Nou until the conclusion of the 2030-31 season, and it comes with a staggering buyout clause of €500 million ($546 million)
Since his arrival at the end of December, Barcelona has been actively integrating Roque into their squad. He has been training alongside his new teammates ever since they returned after the winter break.
Vitor Roque will wear Lionel Messi's former number
Roque is slated to don a jersey number that was previously worn by Lionel Messi during his tenure at the club.
The Brazilian attacker is set to wear the jersey number 19 for his debut season with the club. Interestingly, Messi sported the number 19 from the latter half of the 2005-06 season through the 2007-08 season.
It was only after Ronaldinho's exit that the Argentine legend adopted the iconic No. 10 shirt, which became synonymous with his legendary career at Barcelona.
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