Barcelona suffered another significant injury blow earlier this week, with star striker Robert Lewandowski going down with an ankle issue during the victory over Porto on Wednesday. A subsequent diagnosis has ruled him out for a month, meaning he will miss several important matches, including El Clasico.
Barcelona were already light in the striker department, with Lewandowski being the only natural “9”. Ferran Torres and Joao Felix can fit in there, but it is an area that the club are desperate to address in January.
They plan to do this by ensuring that Vitor Roque joins then, as per MD. The 18-year-old is set to join Barcelona in 2024 after a deal was agreed with Athletico Paranaense in the summer, but it will depend on the club’s finances as to whether he is able to join at the earliest possible opportunity.
At this stage, at least €40m is needed to be able to sign Roque in January, which means that it is doubtful at this stage. However, Barcelona are still waiting on payment from Libero, which if that comes, would see them able to balance FFP enough to bring Roque in.
Barcelona will be desperate for that payment to arrive as soon as possible, so that they can make arrangements for Roque to arrive in January. However, at this stage, it is unclear whether this will be a reality.
