Barcelona’s plans for Vitor Roque depend on Kessié and Ferran

Vitor Roque will be a FC Barcelona player by January at the latest. The Catalan club has reached a total agreement, both with the Brazilian player and with Athletico Paranaense - Roque is set to spend the next six seasons at Camp Nou. A strategic signing by Barcelona, who secure one of the greatest young promises in soccer from the Canarinha, after paying €30 million to Paranaense with another €31 million due in variables.

However, Barcelona have left the door open for the possibility of Triginho joining a little earlier than anticipated - the transfer could be completed this summer, which is what Xavi Hernández would prefer. It all depends on whether the Barça are able to free up enough salary space to sign him now. As of the moment, it would be impossible to carry out the operation this summer because as it is a direct transfer, part of the repayment plan is already included - that means that in this case, Barcelona would have to shift 25 million euros from their wages bill.

Lowering the wages bill

Taking into account the Viability Plan approved by LaLiga, in which Barcelona is restricted by the 50% rule, the only way they could bring Vitor Roque to the club this summer is by offloading two players with a medium/high profile. Right now, the club has four players with such a profile - on other words, their sale would generate income in one way or another: Franck Kessié, Eric Garcia, Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati. Barcelona would need to sell two of those four players to finance the Roque operation this summer. The club is stepping up plans to find new clubs for Kessié and Ferran while Ansu Fati is considered an asset who won’t be sold while Eric has the confidence of the coach.

In any case, the general mood in the club’s offices are not very positive. For now, everything seems to indicate that Xavi will still have to wait a few months before he will have an alternative to Robert Lewandowski in attack.