Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has frequently been at the center of transfer rumors over the past year, especially attracting interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia. However, few have seriously considered the possibility of him moving to another club within Europe.
Despite long ongoing negotiations, the 25-year-old player has yet to sign a new contract with Real, Idman.biz reports.
The parties had reached a preliminary agreement on terms, but recently Vinicius has demanded a salary equal to or higher than that of his teammate Kylian Mbappe. While Saudi clubs were considered his main potential destination, interest from them has recently cooled down.
According to Indykaila, Vinicius has held secret talks with Premier League giant Manchester City. It is reported that City is also exploring transfer options for his teammate Rodrygo, and Vinicius himself is open to leaving Santiago Bernabeu. Although he has concerns about City's ongoing legal issues related to financial fair play in the Premier League, he is evaluating his current options.
The transfer could happen either this summer or next year. City's rivals, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea, are also closely monitoring Vinicius. The player is said to be seriously interested in moving to the Premier League.
It is currently unclear whether Real is willing to sell Vinicius to a European club. Interestingly, Real reportedly has a star player from Manchester City in mind as a replacement. Questions have arisen about Vinicius’s compatibility with Mbappe, and Real has openly stated that the team will be built around the French star. A transfer to Saudi Arabia could cost hundreds of millions of euros and take him to a different continent. However, selling him to a direct Champions League rival in Europe for a lower amount is an entirely different matter.
According to Transfermarkt, Vinicius Junior’s market value is 170 million euros.
Idman.biz
