Talks are progressing between Serie A side Lazio and La Liga giants FC Barcelona for the potential transfer of disgruntled Brazilian forward Victor Roque, Soccernet.football understands.
Lazio are looking to rebuild after a very disappointing 2023/2024 campaign where they only managed a seventh place finish in the Serie A. Following a number of high-profile exits, the Biancocelesti are keen to make Roque their sixth signing of the summer.
According to Il Messaggero via Diario Sport, Lazio have intensified efforts to rescue the 19-year-old from his struggles at the Camp Nou. Facing financial constraints, club president Claudio Lotito has devised an inventive strategy to finalize the deal after seeing an initial offer rejected by Barcelona.
Barcelona refused to allow the Brazilian to join Lazio on loan with an option to buy. However, Lotito now plans to offer around €20 million for fifty percent of the striker’s economic rights, convinced that a future sale would benefit both clubs and there’s a chance that the Catalans could accept this proposal.
Roque has also been the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia but the youngster has no intention of moving there at this stage of his career. Therefore, Lazio represents Barcelona’s best chance to find a suitable landing spot to help the embattled forward regain confidence after a shaky start in Europe.
If all goes as planned, Roque will become the Biancocelesti’s sixth summer addition, after Gaetano Castrovilli joined on a free transfer from Fiorentina, Nuno Tavares and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru arrived on loan, while Loum Tchaouna and Tijjani Noslin were acquired for a combined cost of €18M from Salernitana and Verona respectively.