Tottenham: Spurs make contact with Vitor Roque

Barcelona are closing in on the forward, but Spurs are hopeful they can hijack the deal.

Tottenham Hotspur is now hopeful they will be able to hijack Barcelona’s move for Athletico Paranaense forward Vitor Roque, having recently made contact with the player’s entourage, according to reports from Spain.

Who is Vitor Roque signing for?

Reports have indicated that Roque is on the verge of a move to Barcelona, with the La Liga club agreeing a deal worth €45m (£39m) for the forward, despite the likes of Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain making late attempts to hijack the move.

The 18-year-old is likely to be announced as a Barca player later this week, however, that has not deterred Tottenham from making a late swoop for the youngster, as reported by Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness).

The Blaugrana are in very advanced talks to sign the Athletico Paranaense star, having already reached a “pre-agreement”, but Spurs are now hopeful they will be able to hijack the deal, and they have already made their first move.

Tottenham is one of the clubs who have called the player’s entourage in an attempt to make him change his mind, however, it does not appear as though they stand much chance of turning his head.

The Brazilian is focused on his switch to Barcelona, and only the final documents need to be sorted before his switch to Camp Nou will be confirmed.

Who is Vitor Roque?

After making his initial breakthrough with Cruzeiro, the starlet has since gone on to establish himself as an important first-team player for Athletico Paranaense, recording seven goals and two assists in 13 Brazilian Serie A games last season.

Football Scout Jacek Kulig has spoken about the youngster very highly, hailing him as a “top talent” due to his fantastic goal return last season, while he has also described him as “unstoppable.”

It is no wonder so many top clubs are queuing up to sign the versatile forward, who is also able to play on the right wing, but it appears as though Tottenham has very little chance of winning the race for his signature, with a move to Barca now very close.

As such, Ange Postecoglou should continue to focus on his other targets in attacking areas, having recently been linked with the likes of Beto and Ollie Watkins, with the latter viewed as a potential replacement for Harry Kane, amid the Englishman’s uncertain future.