Barcelona officially announced an agreement with Athletico Paranaense to acquire Vitor Roque. The striker is only 18-years old and signs with the European giant as one of the greatest prospects in soccer.
However, the arrival of Roque to Barcelona won’t be immediate. His expected appearance in La Liga could come in the 2024-2025 season. It’s a long-term project, but, the Spanish club had to make a move as other teams also wanted to secure him.
In fact, if the financial fair play allows it and the player keeps delivering extraordinary performances, Vitor Roque might be registered next year. Nevertheless, right now, the forward will stay with Athletico Paranaense in Brazil preparing for his future.
Vitor Roque: the incredible release clause put by Barcelona
Though Vitor Roque is a tremendous young talent the numbers in his deal with Barcelona seem out of proportion. It’s an eight-year contract with a release clause of $550 million for a player who, even with his potential, has yet to prove everything.
Barcelona will pay to Athletico Paranaense for Roque $33 million in three years and the agreement could go all the way up to $65 million during the entire length of the contract. Many incentives could be triggered in that period of time to double the earnings for the Brazilian club.
Of course, Joan Laporta and the board of directors expect Vitor Roque to be a legend such as Romario or Ronaldo. Still, in something which has become very common in soccer, the contract seems to be way too much for a player who could be a superstar but also a failure. It’s a huge risk.
