Fiorentina sporting director Daniele Pradè has on Friday provided an insight into the reasoning behind the club’s summer pursuit of Barcelona star Vitor Roque coming up short.
Frontman Roque was for his part of course linked with a whole host of clubs over the course of the recently-closed transfer window.
After being deemed surplus to requirements by Barcelona just six months on from his arrival, a queue of interested parties quickly formed, with the Brazilian held in high regard across the continent.
In the end, it was Real Betis who struck a deal with their La Liga rivals, bringing Roque in on a complex two-year loan featuring an option to buy.
Another of the clubs who expressed a keen interest in the 19-year-old, however, were quoted an altogether more outlandish asking price.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Fiorentina director Daniele Pradè was drawn on the club’s summer links with Roque.
And the Italian went on to reveal that Barcelona’s €40 million demands made any move an impossible one:
“We tried to sign Vitor Roque but there were impossible conditions at that moment. Barça wanted €40m for Roque so… no chance.”
Conor Laird | GSFN
