Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez moving forward around in training to speed up adaptation

Barcelona forward Vitor Roque has had a discreet arrival in the Catalan capital since arriving for €30m plus €31m-worth of variables in the January transfer window, registering one start, one red card and two goals. Roque showed glimpses of his quality in those goals, but is clearly not trusted by Xavi Hernandez to lead the line just yet.

Roque was brought in to eventually replace Robert Lewandowski, but just two months after his arrival, rumours emerged that President Joan Laporta wanted to put together a plan to sign Erling Haaland in two years time.

As per MD, Xavi is trying to ease him in slowly to European football, and he had spent most of the last third of 2023 recovering from an ankle injury. The Blaugrana coach reportedly believes Roque can operate wide from a striker, as a number nine, or in behind a forward, and as such has been moving him around in training to get him to adapt to those roles.

When used, Roque’s runs have caused problems for the opposition, but it’s also true that his play has looked a little rusty and his finishing a little wayward. Barcelona will be hoping he can come good, as they have little money to spend on reinforcements in the coming years, and finding another forward would be an expensive business. It is early days with Roque though, and he is but months into a seven-year deal.

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