Chelsea has registered a concrete interest in Athletico Paranaense striker Vitor Roque.
What’s the latest on Vitor Roque to Chelsea?
According to Sport, the 18-year-old has been namedropped as a possible future star for the Blues and a possible replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is reportedly nearing a return to Barcelona.
It’s thought that sporting director Christopher Vivell has begun to search for a new no.9 ahead of the summer window, with the former Arsenal striker likely to depart. The article also details how the Brazilian is the perfect fit for Chelsea’s project to acquire the youngest and most exciting talents from all corners of the globe.
However, the ‘Brazilian clan’ in the Arsenal dressing room are also doing their utmost to convince the £11m-rated ace to join the Emirates.
What does this news mean for Aubameyang’s Chelsea career?
The former Arsenal man was signed on transfer deadline day from Spain but the move has been an absolute calamity. The 33-year-old has scored just three times all season and has only made six appearances during this calendar year.
It was a strange signing to provide much-needed cover for Graham Potter’s frontline but it has drastically backfired.
Aubameyang’s replacement could come in the form of Roque who former Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari described as “one of the greatest players we have ahead of us.”
The youngster has already netted three goals in just 211 minutes of domestic football in Brazil after registering 14 goals in the season before, as well six goals in 11 outings for Brazil’s U20s. The marksman has forged a formidable reputation in his homeland that is rapidly spreading across Europe.
The former Cruzeiro man made his Selecao debut this month, featuring alongside Blues new boy Andrey Santos.
After Todd Boehly spent a British record of £323m in the January transfer window, Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol described the recruitment as a way of “buying up the best young players” and Roque definitely fits this bill.