Barcelona’s sporting director has pinpointed why the Vitor Roque experiment collapsed.
Deco firmly states the club’s judgment on the striker’s ability was correct. The strategic aim was to find Robert Lewandowski’s eventual successor.
“It wasn’t a mistake in terms of quality, but rather timing. Our plan was to recruit a future replacement for Lewandowski, a striker capable of exploiting space, and Vitor was the ideal choice.”
A forced January move disrupted the plan. Deco cites Gavi’s injury and squad needs as the catalyst.
“He arrived in a new country, at a big club, with a lot of pressure, and he didn’t get enough playing time to adapt.”
An unsuccessful loan to Real Betis followed. An offer from Palmeiras then presented an exit.
“We felt that selling him was the best option for everyone, as they are a big club capable of restoring a young player’s confidence.”
Deco asserts Barcelona recovered their investment. He uses a fellow Brazilian phenom as a comparison.
“We haven’t lost our investment, we’ve recovered its value… look at Endrick’s case, he’s going through difficulties too. It’s normal for young players at a big European club.”
— Barca News/X
