Xavi provides key update on when Brazilian wonderkid Vitor Roque will join Barcelona

Cameron Smith

• 19 Dec 2023 15:27 GMT
• 3 min read

Barcelona head coach Xavi has revealed that Brazilian wonderkid Vitor Roque will join the club from Athletico Paranaense in January “if everything goes well.”

The 18-year-old agreed to join the Blaugrana earlier this year, but the agreement stipulated the move would not officially be made until 2024.

Roque was expected to join Barcelona next summer, but that date has been moved forward as Xavi looks to integrate him into the first-team sooner.

That decision has been made amid Robert Lewandowski’s struggles in front of goal in recent weeks. Despite a brilliant first campaign at Camp Nou, the Poland international has scored just three times in his past 13 appearances as Barca have fallen further behind Real Madrid and Girona in the Spanish top flight title race.

However, Xavi has confirmed that his squad will be bolstered by the arrival of Roque during the January window, if things go to plan.

Vitor Roque to join Barcelona in January

Xavi spoke to the media about Barcelona’s imminent new signing and admitted, as per Football Espana: “If everything goes well, he will join us after the holidays. We are in contact with him so that he arrives in good condition.

“We cannot put pressure on Vitor Roque or young people like Lamine [Yamal]. They have to go step by step. We have to take a step forward as a team. We need to make the difference, we lack effectiveness in the areas.

“The lack of effectiveness has weighed on us in many games. If we want to turn things around in La Liga, we need to improve there.

“Well yeah, but I mean if you look at it like that… If the plane doesn’t leave, maybe he won’t come… Looking at it like that, he’s better off in Brazil. He’s a hope for the team.

“He’s a very good signing and I think he can contribute a lot to us. So many positive things come to mind, I don’t have time to think about the alternative. Work, goals, sacrifice… He’s a player that attacks the space.”

In his final year at Paranaense, Roque scored 21 goals and provided eight assists in 45 appearances, while he also made his senior Brazil debut against Morocco in March.