Manchester United in a transfer battle to sign £43m Brazilian forward

Recent news from Brazilian outlet Rádio Tupi, as relayed by the Daily Star, says Manchester United are watching Palmeiras forward Vitor Roque. Tottenham and Chelsea are reportedly in the mix too. The São Paulo club have stuck a massive £43 million price tag on the 20-year-old.

Manchester United Track Resurgent Brazilian Star Vitor Roque Amid Carrick Revival

Roque first made a name for himself at Cruzeiro and Athletico Paranaense. That form earned him a big move to Barcelona. However, he found life hard in Catalonia, scoring just twice in 16 games. A loan at Real Betis followed, where he managed seven goals in 33 matches.

After that, the striker headed back to Brazil. Since his permanent £21 million move to Palmeiras, the Brazilian striker has found his shooting boots again. He has 20 goals in 59 games so far.

Even with this comeback, the report says none of the three English clubs have made a real bid yet. The youngster is already in his fifth year as a pro. Palmeiras’ high asking price shows they really want to keep their star man. If not, they at least want a huge profit on what they have invested.

The Carrick Effect 

Michael Carrick, taking over as interim boss in January 2026, has immediately turned things around at Old Trafford. Since Ruben Amorim left, the former United midfielder has led the team to big wins over Manchester City and Arsenal. Those points have pushed the club back into the top four.

This quick turnaround makes people wonder if they even need more attackers this winter. The club already spent big last summer. They brought in Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo to sharpen the front line. Those new signings are starting to click now. The team are also playing well under Carrick’s new tactics. So, dropping £43 million on another young striker feels like overkill.

Roque’s numbers in Brazil look great. However, his previous struggles in Spain suggest he might need a while to get used to European football again. United are currently in the midst of a Champions League qualification battle and cannot afford to grant that time. Unless injuries hit the front line hard, Carrick would probably rather stick with the players he has. He might skip bringing in a risky new signing in the middle of the season.