Chelsea’s transfer radar rarely sleeps — but this time, it might need a nap. The Blues are reportedly eyeing a move for former Barcelona striker Vitor Roque, now shining again in Brazil with Palmeiras.

On paper, it looks exciting. A young, hungry forward rediscovering form. But dig a little deeper, and the warning signs are hard to miss.

The Stamford Bridge hierarchy has been busy reshaping the attack. Nicolas Jackson was sent to Bayern Munich, Liam Delap was signed but quickly injured, and Joao Pedro started hot before cooling off.

Even teenage talent Marc Guiu has been recalled to fill the gaps. With Delap reportedly close to returning, one wonders — do Chelsea really need another project player up front?

Vitor Roque: A tempting talent or a trap waiting to happen?

Reports from Goal Brasil claim Chelsea are “closely monitoring” Roque’s form and could launch a bid in January.

Tottenham are also said to be interested, but Palmeiras won’t sell cheap — their asking price sits around €77 million ($89m). That’s a lot of zeroes for a striker who’s already struggled once in Europe.

Roque’s story at Barcelona wasn’t exactly a fairytale. Signed for around €40 million, he was billed as Robert Lewandowski’s successor.

Sixteen matches and two goals later, the dream was over. Xavi (Barcelona’s coach at that time) reportedly admitted that the youngster had been brought in “too early.”

After short loan spells and limited minutes, he eventually returned to Brazil, where he’s now rebuilt confidence with 17 goals in 46 games.

The World Cup factor could complicate things

The upcoming year will be a World Cup year, and Roque is on the fringe of Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad.

Staying in Brazil and scoring consistently gives him a real shot. Sitting on Chelsea’s bench behind Pedro, Delap, or Guiu? Not so much. A move to London in January could turn that dream into a nightmare.

Chelsea fans have seen this movie before — big fee, big hype, little return. For a club already stacked with young forwards, signing Roque could be more of a replay than a rebuild. 

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