Future Barcelona starlet Vitor Roque has revealed that two members of the Barcelona squad encouraged him to join them.
Roque has already agreed to join the Blaugrana in a €30m deal that could rise to €61m if all of his objectives are met. It is not yet clear whether he will join in January, as Xavi Hernandez and Roque reportedly want, or whether he will join in July 2024 as was initially announced.
Speaking to MD in a recent interview, Roque revealed that Ronald Araujo first contacted him about a move.
“Before it was closed, Araujo called me. First he sent a message to Canobbio (Vitor’s Uruguayan teammate at Paranaense) and he told Canobbio that I should go to Barca. Then he said to me ‘Come, come to Barca, come play with us’, he told me. And then Raphinha sent me a message.”
“[He told me] That they were waiting for me and that they were eager to play with me. And that when I arrive they will help me to adapt well.”
Xavi and Sporting Director Deco also got in touch with him after the move.
“The first time Xavi called me along with Deco and they told me that they were happy to have been able to close my signing for Barcelona and that they were going to help me in every way, as a coach and as a friend off the field.”
It appears to be becoming the norm for players on big teams to contact potential signings about moving to the club. As long as a decade ago, Neymar Junior was in contact with the likes of Lionel Messi ahead of his move to Barcelona. Meanwhile Gerard Pique was in touch with Vinicius Junior before he went to Real Madrid, and Barcelona were interested. More recently, Vinicius admitted messaging Jude Bellingham recently before his move too.
