Real Madrid and Barcelona are prepared to battle it out for Brazilian teenager next summer

Real Madrid and Barcelona are prepared to battle it out for Brazilian teenager next summer, despite signing a new deal.

Barcelona is still keeping an eye on the Brazilian market in an effort to snag the greatest talent that South America has to offer.

Endrick, a wonderkid for Palmeiras, has drawn the attention of the Catalan giants for months. Andrey Santos, a midfield prodigy for Vasco do Gama who is apparently considered as Sergio Busquets’ successor, has also reportedly attracted considerable interest.

The Blaugrana and their arch-rivals Real Madrid are reportedly interested in Athletico Paranaense attacker Vitor Roque, according to Roger Torello of Mundo Deportivo. This adds another name to the list of Brazilian possibilities that Barcelona has their eyes on.

The 17-year-old attacker began his career with Cruzeiro, where he scored six goals while making 16 first-team appearances despite his young age. It led Athletico to sign him in April of last year, and the decision is paying off.

Vitor Roque has scored six goals and dished out two assists in 25 games for his new team, helping them get to the Copa Libertadores finals, where they will play Flamengo in October.

READ MORE: Barcelona youngster’s camp admits that the player is going through difficult moments

He is a whole new player. He is 17 years old, but given his physical, technical, and cerebral make-up, it appears that he is 22 to 23 years old, according to Athletico Paranaense manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

“He is a striker who is very difficult for defenders to score on because he guards the ball effectively, is quick, and leaves the area to team up. Because he is still young, he will add skills to his arsenal with time, says Brazil’s 2002 FIFA World Cup winning coach.

Barcelona is now keeping close tabs on the development of the adolescent star after his impressive exploits in Brazil. The 17-year-old is reportedly being watched by Juventus and Real Madrid, as well as other Italian powerhouses.

In reality, the source claims that the Bianconeri’s bid of €15 million for Vitor Roque was turned down because Athletico Paranaense thinks they can fetch more than €40 million for their treasured gem.

It would be interesting to see if Barcelona choose to pursue their initial interest in Vitor Roque in the future given that the Brazilian wizard is committed to the team through 2027. The Catalans are currently scouting and monitoring the teenage wonderkid.