Manchester United submit £30m bid for Barcelona's Vítor Roque
manchester united have made an initial offer of £29.6 million for Vitor Roque, but Barcelona They are expecting close to £50 million, according to Manchester Evening News.
The Red Devils are expected to be in the transfer market for a striker with Erik ten Hag He had previously made no secret of his desire for a new addition to the attack.
When asked in April about his plans for the summer transfer market, Ten Hag was quoted by Eurosport like saying:
“You need more options. Needs double positioning in each position. In some positions we had no options this season (the forward position, the left back position) and that has a negative impact on the results.”
Anthony Martial has been released by the Red Devils as a free agent, leaving Rasmus Hojlund as the only natural forward in the squad.
The Dane has had his fair share of physical setbacks, while Mark Rashfordwho has been used sparingly as a striker, has greatly underperformed lately.
Man Utd have apparently identified Roque as the man to strengthen their attack and have submitted a bid worth just under £30m. However the MEN claims that Barcelona have rejected the offer and want to get closer to £50m, the price they paid Atlético Paranaense for his signature.
United are unlikely to meet Barça's asking price for Roque
Roque, 19, enjoyed a positive start to his life in Barcelona He scored twice in his first five La Liga games but saw his form and minutes decline drastically thereafter.
He fell out of favor with Xavi and, although the Spaniard has been sacked by the Catalans, Roque may not meet the needs of Barça, who remain under tremendous financial pressure.
Ten Hag has been provided with a £140m budget for the summer, but it remains to be seen if Manchester United is willing to match Barça's asking price for Roque.
The teenager is one of the most promising players in the world, but there is a stark difference in Barca and United's assessment of his transfer fees.
As such, the Red Devils would have to pay almost double the money they had initially offered if Roque joined them.
And while a striker is one of Ten Hag's priorities, he can't go broke on a player who lacks experience when he has enough time to look for alternative options.
Brentford's Ivan Toney has also been linked with a move to Old Trafford. and it wouldn't be entirely a surprise if United brought in a slightly experienced name with Hojlund already available as a younger, long-term option at Ten Hag's disposal.
