Barcelona Sporting Director Deco has once again been clear that any additions to the Blaugrana squad in January remain highly unlikely.
This is not the news that Xavi Hernandez wanrts to hear. The Barcelona coach has been quite clear that he would like to have 18-year-old Brazilian striker Vitor Roque available for the second half of the season, while agent Andre Cury has also confirmed the plan is, or at least was, for Roque to join in January.
Deco told MD that any signings will be tricky.
“I think it will be difficult to make new additions. We will always be attentive in case there is any type of opportunity, but I don’t think it will be possible.”
Roque’s deal will last for seven years from July 2024, and could rise to €61m including all variables, while his starting salary is thought to be somewhere in the region of €2-4m. That means Barcelona would need to free up around €10m in salary limit space in order to bring Roque in. Given they are well over their salary limit, this would mean saving €20-25m in savings.
Deco did say that Barcelona would try at the very least.
“From the first minute it was clear with Athletico Paranaense that Vitor could only come from January, which was one of the conditions of the agreement, but we will try. Let’s see what we can do. He is a player that we have signed for the present and for the future, we believe in it a lot, but we have to wait a little and see how we can sort this out. If not now, it will be in July for sure,” Deco continued.
It does leave Xavi in something of a hole. He is being asked to go a whole season without a natural replacement for Robert Lewandowski, who is now 35. As was seen with his recent injury against Porto, he is no longer as immune to injury as he was, and the Blaugrana will struggle without him. The inability to rotate and rest him with an obvious alternative could cost Barcelona over the course of the season.
