Is it wise for Barcelona to consider a loan for Vitor Roque this summer?

News that Barcelona might well consider loaning out Vitor Roque this summer is surprising to say the least.

After all, the club were falling over themselves to bring him in six months earlier than originally planned, and it’s an experiment that’s failed horribly.

You can’t really attach too much blame to the player himself either.

Parachuted in as some sort of saviour, it was blindingly obvious he was going to take time to settle into his new surroundings.

With a clear preference to playing Robert Lewandowski in any event, there’s been no real opportunities for the 19-year-old to be able to build up his confidence.

His age is absolutely a factor here because it’s important to understand that not every teenager that either bursts onto the scene or is given their chance to cement a place in the first-team is going to work out.

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Let alone one that’s previously plied his trade over the other side of the world.

The immediacy in terms of decent form that fans seem to want from every player needs to be reined in a little too.

Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal are freaks of nature, not the norm. Further, it isn’t healthy to populate a top team such as Barcelona with more teenage talent than experienced heads.

Lest we forget too, that Lionel Messi was only making his way at age 19 too – back in 2007 – and he had been at La Masia for six years prior to his ‘overnight success.’

Vitor Roque can certainly be started in every remaining game this season if Xavi wants to get a decent look at him.

Robert Lewandowski won’t want to be dropped, with the Pichichi now back in sight, but he will be be 36 in the summer so Barca need to be looking forward, not back.

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Vitor Roque is only going to get better if he is given games, therefore Xavi would do well to start that process now and continue it right throughout pre-season.

Starting 2024/25 with a clean slate would at the very least give the youngster some hope that he might actually be able to make his mark next season.

It’s said that Tigrinho isn’t interested in a loan move away from Barcelona but he may be corralled into it if Xavi and his backroom staff believe he will have a better chance of getting games next season elsewhere.

If the Blaugranes don’t intend on playing him as first-choice next season, he might be well advised to look at any loan, because rotting on the bench at this stage of his career does him no favours whatsoever.