Everton ponder increased bid for Barcelona striker as Deco names price for explosive Goodison transfer

Everton have been told what they will need to pay to secure the services of Barcelona striker Vitor Roque after the Toffees have seen a couple of bids rejected by the La Liga giants.

The Premier League outfit have seen a bid of around £21.5m plus add-ons rejected by Barcelona who are reputedly seeking a fee in the region of £25-30m for the 19-year-old.

Barcelona envision a bright future for the young star but their financial situation means they cannot really afford to turn their noses up at realistic offers for players outside of the first team core unit.

Roque is under contract with Barcelona until 2031 but there has been no suggestion at his stage that Everton would accept a loan deal, with the club looking long-term to push back up the Premier League table after surviving back-to-back relegation battles and a points deduction over financial irregularities.

Football journalist Florian Plettenberg has claimed that the deal is not yet dead and buried but Barcelona have made it clear to Everton that they should return with a serious bid to continue discussions.

“FC Everton continuing to explore deal to sign Vitor Roque,” Plettenberg wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“With a first offer of €25m + €3m add-ons Immediately rejected by Barcelona as they want €30-35m. Understand that Everton are in ongoing talks with Deco.

“[The] 19 y/o striker from Barca [has] a contract [with the club] until 2031.”

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Barcelona seek loan move for young star

Recent reports out of Spain suggest thet the LaLiga superpower have decided to let the Brazilian exit on loan for a season as they want to remain in control of his future while allowing him to play more minutes elsewhere to help his development.

The teenage striker missed a Barcelona training session over the weekend due to a reported illness, and later that day, the player’s representatives and family helped are said to have tried to talk him into accepting the concept of leaving for a year to get experience in a prominent European league.

Barca’s Financial Fair Play issues make it nearly impossible to register Roque’s contract right now, increasing the likelihood and need of an exit from the Nou Camp whether temporary or permanent.

Roque has played just 75 minutes in three preseason games and has been extensively linked with a move since the conclusion of last season. However, the club still believes in his potential and feels he may grow into a future starter after Robert Lewandowski goes, thus Barça will be prepared to part ways only on loan.