After the South American U20 Championship final against Uruguay, Vitor Roque (17) beamed with joy as he lifted the trophy. The Brazil number 9 scored six goals during the tournament and shares the title of top scorer with compatriot Andrey Santos (18) from Chelsea FC. Unlike Roque, Santos has already signed in Europe. But Roque could soon follow suit.
The president of his club CA Paranaense commented on the great interest from Europe in the highly talented goalscorer. Mario Celso Petraglia confirmed inquiries from the old continent to Globo Esporte: “There’s a race for Vitor Roque.” Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal and Paris St Germain are reportedly all chasing the striker.
High redemption demands
So it’s no wonder that President Petraglia is calling for a high transfer fee for Roque. You don’t want to give up the top talent for less than 50 million euros transfer value. In addition, Paranaense wants to secure a percentage share in a possible resale of the youngster in order to be able to participate in the success of the professional in the future.
However, Roque is not close to moving to a specific club. Even if there are always reports from Spain that want to see him in the Blaugrana jersey. “We have already received calls and offers, but they have not achieved our expectations. There’s still a long way to go”Petraglia sums up the situation.
Comfortable situation for Paranaense
The head of the Brazilian first division club does not feel any pressure. Roque came to the Curitiba club from Cruzeiro just ten months ago and signed until 2027. Almost five million euros were paid. In the summer, Paranaense will make multiples of that from a sale. The contractually stipulated release clause is 100 million euros and leaves Roque’s club plenty of room for negotiation.
The attacker will probably not play many games for Paranaense. The U20 World Cup takes place from May to June. There, too, Roque is said to wear the Seleção jersey. Another huge showcase to boost its market value. Accordingly, Petraglia can negotiate freely with European interested parties – and therefore also publicly calls for bidding.
