Real Betis boss Pellegrini hails Barcelona’s Vitor Roque amid fresh transfer talk | OneFootball

Real Betis head coach Manuel Pellegrini has moved to reiterate his appreciation for the ongoing efforts of Vitor Roque in his squad.

This comes amid fresh chatter, pointing towards a potential incoming transfer for the young frontman.

Roque, for his part, of course only sealed a move to the Estadio Benito Villamarín during the summer, on loan from La Liga rivals Barcelona.

In turn, it has come as something of a surprise to see reports spread in the media over recent days that the 19-year-old could be primed for imminent exit.

This comes amid strong interest on the part of Brazilian giants Palmeiras in bringing Roque back to his home country in January.

Speaking to the media in the aftermath of his side’s 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, during which Roque featured from the off once more, the name of his young striker was in turn put to Manuel Pellegrini.

And Betis’ headmaster made use of the opportunity to heap fresh praise on Roque, explaining:

“He is a young player who is starting his career. He is 19 years old, so we cannot demand from him the experience that a footballer with more games under his belt has.

“He spent the entire 90 minutes running, trying to create opportunities. He caused the penalty, had a cross-field chance that he failed to convert and a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. As he gains confidence, he will also improve his precision in finishing inside the area. He is a player in full growth who brings us a lot.”

Conor Laird – GSFN