Barcelona on the Verge of Finalizing Vitor Roque’s Move to Palmeiras

Barcelona’s Vitor Roque experiment is coming to an abrupt end after just a year. The Catalan giants have decided to cut their losses, agreeing to sell the Brazilian striker to Palmeiras. This move will also see his loan spell at Real Betis end earlier than planned, with the 19-year-old now set for a return to his homeland.

According to Spanish journalist Gerard Romero, Vitor Roque’s move to Palmeiras is all but sealed. As per the terms of the deal, Barcelona will receive a guaranteed €25.5 million, along with an additional €5 million in potential add-ons. Talks about Roque’s return to Brazil had been circulating since the start of the month. However, the move wasn’t straightforward due to his ongoing loan spell at Betis. With multiple parties involved, Barcelona had to navigate a tricky situation to get the deal over the line. 

Palmeiras are closing in on Vitor Roque deal, almost done!

Agreement in place since last week with Barcelona for package worth over €25m fee plus sell-on clause.

Real Betis will get compensation options today, expected to give green light. pic.twitter.com/Oz5cEW5Rmf

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 27, 2025

Barcelona and Palmeiras had to overcome several tricky obstacles in order to get the deal done. The first challenge was convincing Real Betis to part ways with Roque. Manuel Pellegrini valued the young striker and wasn’t keen on losing him, especially with no chance of signing a replacement due to the closed transfer window in Spain. But after some pressure from Barcelona, Betis eventually gave in and agreed to let him go. 

Just when things seemed to be moving forward, another roadblock appeared. La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) flagged legal issues, stating that Barcelona couldn’t directly sell Roque while the transfer window was closed. To comply with regulations, the club had to re-register him, even if only temporarily, before completing the sale. Needing a way around this bureaucratic maze, Barcelona turned to FIFA and UEFA for help. Once FIFA gave the green light, the club wasted no time in sorting out the paperwork, paving the way for Roque’s move to Palmeiras. 

This transfer saga finally brings an end to what has been an unsuccessful union between Roque and Barcelona. When the young Brazilian arrived last winter, many saw him as Robert Lewandowski’s long-term successor. But things didn’t go as planned, and now Roque is heading back to Brazil to hit the reset button on his career. That said, this is far from the end for him. He’s still just 19, with plenty of time to grow and develop. If he finds his form again, a return to Europe could very much be on the cards.