Who is Vitor Roque? The Brazilian wonderkid wanted by Arsenal and Barcelona

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 14 Feb 2023 22:06 GMT
• 4 min read

It seems as though every day there is a new teenage Brazilian forward being described as a wonderkid or linked with a big money move to Europe…but in the case of Vitor Roque, the hype appears to be justified.

The 17-year-old has become the latest sensation to attract the interest of some of the world’s biggest clubs following Endrick’s decision to join Real Madrid, with teams expected to make bids in excess of €40 million for the youngster this summer.

Already a regular starter in the top flight of Brazil, a continental champion at youth level for his country and starring in the Copa Libertadores, Roque’s rise to stardom has been rapid and only looks set to continue at speed.

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FootballTransfers takes a deep dive into everything you need to know about the new kid on the block in Brazil who has been likened to Ronaldo and Luis Suarez.

What position does Vitor Roque play in?

Roque is primarily a centre-forward who can also play on both wings and is adept with either foot, although he often features on the right flank and enjoys cutting in on his left foot.

How good is Vitor Roque?

Roque is so highly rated in Brazil that Athletico Paranaense made him their record signing in 2022, activating his €4.3 million release clause (R$24m) despite him having played just six times for Serie B side Cruzeiro.

The forward played 29 games in his debut season in the top flight of Brazil, scoring five times and featuring regularly in the Copa Libertadores, where his seven appearances and two goals saw him named in the competition’s team of the season as Athletico finished runners up.

Roque received his first call-up for Brazil’s under-20 side in 2022 and he was named in the squad for the 2023 Copa Sudamericana.

The teenager’s stock grew in the tournament as he led Brazil to the title, finishing joint-top scorer with six goals alongside teammate and new Chelsea signing Andrey Santos.

Roque is understood to have a release clause of €60m in his contract and it appears teams may have to meet that in order to sign the player, with West Ham reportedly seeing a €35m bid rejected in January.

Athletico president Mario Celso Petraglia said: “There’s a big fight for him, we’ve received offers and calls but no one reaches the figures we’re asking. However we can’t keep him, because we can’t pay what European clubs pay.”

What teams are interested in Vitor Roque?

Arsenal and Barcelona are the latest teams believed to be interested in Roque but the Brazilian will have attracted attention from just about every major side in Europe, such is the hype around him.

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Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United have also been linked with moves for the teenager in recent months, while West Ham are understood have had a bid rejected for him in January.

When does Vitor Roque’s contract expire?

Vitor Roque still has four years left on his contract, which is due to expire in 2027.

How old is Vitor Roque?

Vitor Roque was born on February 28th 2005, making him 17 at the time of writing.

What is Vitor Roque’s Instagram?

Vitor Roque has 294,000 followers on Instagram as of February 2013.