Barcelona chief confirms £25m deal as Arsenal and Man Utd miss out
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arcelona sporting director Deco has confirmed the LaLiga giants’ imminent deal for Brazilian wonderkid Vitor Roque.
The 18-year-old is ready to maneuver from Athletico Paranense for an intiial price of £25million after Barcelona fought off reported curiosity from Arsenal and Manchester United.
“Of course I’m satisfied, he is a very good player,” he instructed Spanish newspaper Sport.
Centre-forward Roque has hit 15 targets in 30 video games this season whereas serving to Brazil to the South American Under-20 Championship, earlier than making his full worldwide debut.
Barcelona signing the teenage sensation follows their disappointment within the race to land Arda Guler, the Turkish teenager who final week joined Real Madrid.
The LaLiga champions have already added Inigo Martinez and Ilkay Gundogan on free transfers this summer time, with Roque’s agent talking extremely of this soon-to-be confirmed deal.
Andre Cury instructed Globo: “Every negotiation is complicated, especially for a player of this calibre. There were other interested parties. But Vitor always had his head turned to Barcelona.
“He wanted to follow the Brazilians who passed through Barcelona; Rivaldo, Romario, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, who were the best in the world there. And Neymar, who was not the best in the world, but was in the top three and was champion in the Champions League.
“I had been talking to Deco for a year. And we have now implemented [the deal]. We chose the best project for Vitor Roque to be among the best in the world.
“I would like to thank Barcelona, the president, Xavi, everyone for their trust. They got it right. They’re going to have a very high-level player for the next few years.”