Newcastle United reportedly want to sign Vitor Roque.
That is according to Goal in Brazil, who claim that the Magpies have directly contacted Athletico Paranaense about signing the 17-year-old forward. They add that Chelsea, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have all done the same.
Roque is the latest young Brazilian to be linked with a move to St James’ Park. Newcastle are making a clear effort to tap into the South American market, having been rumoured to show interest in Angelo Gabriel and Matheus Franca.
Andrey Santos was also a target, but he has now officially signed for Chelsea.
Now Roque is a target for Newcastle, as Dan Ashworth looks to add to the Brazilian contingent that already exists at St James’ Park. Eddie Howe currently has Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton in his ranks.
Roque would be one for the future, and someone who couldn’t actually join the club until the summer. But he is someone who has a huge amount of potential.
His balance and composure makes him a real threat in the box, and he is only going to get better with more experience. But will that experience come at Newcastle?
Newcastle want to sign ‘new Ronaldo’ Vitor Roque
As Roque is yet to turn 18, he is not eligible for a move to Europe. He celebrates his next birthday in February, however, meaning he could complete a transfer to a club like Newcastle at the end of the season.
But there are plenty of clubs interested in the teenager. And not just any clubs – some of Europe’s elite.
That is because Roque is an immense talent. He has drawn comparisons to Ronaldo Nazario, who is one of the greatest strikers the game has ever seen. In fact, an article by Goal in July 2022 actually described him as the ‘new Ronaldo‘.
Those kind of tags often set players up for failure, but there is real belief that Roque is going to develop into a star.
He currently plays for Athletico Paranaense, who signed him from Cruzeiro last year for a club record fee of almost £4million.
His next transfer will be worth a lot more, as his contract has a release clause worth £53million.
Given the hype surrounding him, it will be incredibly difficult for Newcastle to sign Roque. However, they might feel that they have an ace up their sleeve.
Roque currently plays for the same club where Toon talisman Bruno Guimaraes got his big break in Brazil. The 17-year-old even wears the number 39 shirt, which previously belonged to Bruno and holds a lot of meaning for the midfielder.
Whether that connection can give Newcastle an edge remains to be seen, but Goal believe that the Magpies have made their first move to try and bring this obscenely talented teenager to St James’ Park.
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