Manchester United made an attempt to hijack Barcelona’s deal to sign Vitor Roque from Athletico Paranaense.
Barcelona have confirmed the signing of the teenage forward in a deal worth €40m (£34.2m), with the 18-year-old set to link up with his new team-mates in 2024.
Roque has been signed as a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski after an exciting emergence at Athletico Paranaense, for who he has scored 22 goals in 66 games since arriving from Cruzeiro. Roque was named in the 2022 Copa Libertadores Team of the Tournament and earned his first senior cap for Brazil in March.
Europe’s top clubs were interested in a deal and the player’s agent, Cury, has confirmed that Roque received big bids from English clubs.
Cury has said that Manchester United and Tottenham both submitted bids that were ‘way better’ than Barcelona’s proposal, claiming the Premier League duo offered close to €100m for the teenager.
“I can confirm that English clubs tried to hijack Roque deal,” he told Charla Podcast, as per Fabrizio Romano.
“Tottenham and Manchester United sent important bids, way better than Barça; close to €100m. Vitor only wanted Barça, there was no chance to change his mind.”
