The new squad number afforded to Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal should be considered altogether less than positive news for another of the club’s up-and-coming young talents.
That’s according to Diario Sport, who point towards Vitor Roque as the player in question.
The subject of Lamine’s new Barcelona shirt number has of course taken its place front and centre in the headlines in Catalunya’s capital over the course of the last 24 hours.
This comes with the attacker’s growing prominence in Barca’s squad having been recognised by a drop from no.27, to 19.
Lamine was actually widely tipped to take on the honour of the 10 jersey, but opted against requesting as much, out of respect to teammate Ansu Fati.
What has since gone somewhat unnoticed amongst many of a Blaugrana persuasion, however, is the fact that the 17-year-old has has nabbed the shirt of another member of Hansi Flick’s squad, in Vitor Roque.
Frontman Roque donned the 19 across his first half-season in La Liga, but now, seemingly, has been left without a squad number.
Diario Sport therefore conclude that:
‘Vitor Roque’s future at Barça seems sealed. The club must decide whether to keep him, but it seems increasingly clear that the Brazilian is not in the running for the new sporting project.’
Conor Laird | GSFN