Vitor Roque: Barcelona's €30m wonderkid who Xavi refuses to play

Roque's transfer was completed in interesting circumstances. Barca had been among the interested parties since the start of 2023, with Roque riding the wave of excitement brought about by another top-tier Brazilian talent in Endrick. He was billed, in some corners, as the Catalan response to Real Madrid's lavish spending on 'the next Pele'. And so while Los Blancos may have gotten the raw talent with a higher ceiling, Barca - it was felt - had someone who could help them win now.

Roque had established himself as a consistent goal-scorer for top-flight side Athletico Paranaense, finding the net 17 times in the Brasilerao, and a on a further six occasions in the Copa Libertadores before his 19th birthday. Given the disparate levels of South America and Europe's top competitions, just how good Roque was remained unclear, but Barca knew they were getting a talent.

Getting his transfer over the line, however, wasn't that straightforward, as Barca's infamous financial issues got in the way. Despite verbally agreeing a deal on an initial €30 million (£25.6m/$32.2m) payment in July - with the expectation of a January 2024 arrival - it appeared that the Blaugrana couldn't make the transfer happen due to their flirtation with La Liga's strict salary limit.

Gavi's ACL tear, though, changed things, as a league loophole allowed Barca to write their injured midfielder's contract off for the season, and Roque's arrival was announced - CGI tiger and all.

Roque made his Barca debut off the bench against Las Palmas on January 4, and after a handful of interesting cameos, he started to find some rhythm. He provided his first signature moment on January 31, as he netted a well-taken winning goal to save Barca from embarrassment against Osasuna. "Goal-scorers depend a lot on goals and he needed it. I think he has freed himself," Xavi said post-match.

The youngster provided again four days later - albeit under strange circumstances, as Roque turned in an action-packed, 13-minute cameo against Alaves. He came off the bench in the 59th minute, scored Barca's third goal of the game in the 63rd, before picking up an ill-advised booking in the 67th, which in turn led to him being sent off in the 72nd for a harsh second booking.

Since then, Roque has been a peripheral presence for the Blaugrana. The Brazilian has fed off scraps and brief substitute appearances, as he has been barely used while Xavi's side stagger to the end of their season. He has made just six appearances since returning from suspension on February 17, and although two of those games saw him named in the starting line up, he was deployed rather out of position in both - stuck awkwardly out wide in a system that doesn't suit him.

Roque certainly hasn't been helped by late-season surges from both Lewandowski and Raphinha - who have suddenly started finding the net when all hope of silverware has gone. Still, the teenager can't get a kick, which at a time when Xavi should be looking ahead to next season and giving young players experience is concerning.

Roque - or, more accurately, his entourage - haven't helped his case. His agent, Andre Cury, has played chief antagonist in recent weeks, spreading claims of a breakdown in the relationship between Xavi and his client.

"No one understands why Xavi doesn’t play him and doesn’t even speak to Vitor, it’s not right," he said on Spanish radio. "We will discuss his future with Barca soon. We chose Barca because Vitor loves the club, imagine that we really had other proposals that gave us twice as much."

Others have weighed in, including Barca legend Rivaldo, who vouched for the young forward. "I think Barcelona didn't know how to give him more opportunities and he's a good player, he has a future. From the outside I don't know exactly what happened and I don't know what his day-to-day in training is like to see if he deserved a chance. But we know what he did at Athletico Paranaense, and the Brazilian Championship season he had," he told Sport.

Meanwhile, Roque's girlfriend has sent off a stream of cryptic tweets, mocking Xavi's decision to bench the striker - and even appearing to celebrate Barca's loss to Girona when Roque didn't play.

There remains a point of contention, though, around who actually wanted to bring Roque to Barcelona. Xavi was reportedly frustrated with sporting director Deco and the club hierarchy, as the manager had asked for funds to replace the departing Sergio Busquets. His thought was that the Blaugrana couldn't function without a top-class pivot at the base of his midfield - and he has been proven right.

Deco, though, largely ignored his claims and pushed for Roque's signing, and saved money by bringing in veteran Oriol Romeu to play as the No.6. The former Southampton defensive midfielder unsurprisingly strugged to make the step up in class, and has been dropped in 2024 to be replaced by centre-back Andreas Christensen.

Xavi, for his part, has repeatedly insisted that Roque needs time to bed into the side - and has refused to be dragged into talk that he didn't want the forward in the first place. Still, his actions - and Roque's familiarity with the Barca bench - suggest that he might not be so satisfied with the teenager's presence.

It seems, then, that something has to change. Xavi doesn't want to play Roque - and perhaps didn't even want him in the first place. The player's agent, Cury, has continued to insist that a loan move is not an option this summer, and speculated that a permanent transfer away from Catalunya would be the only way for his client to develop. "I am certain Vitor will be a great player, but if Barca don't let him... The club, the coach or I don't know what happens internally, we will have to look for another path," he said.

And perhaps that is the best solution for all parties. Roque is too good to sit on the bench, but not yet ready for the Catalan limelight. A move elsewhere, to a club where he might get more minutes, would seem to suit everyone. A loan deal, perhaps to another La Liga side, might also be an option worth exploring.