Saudi Arabia given window of opportunity to sign Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid | OneFootball

Real Madrid are shifted their transfer focus on selling players, following confirmation of Alvaro Carreras being their fourth summer signing. No one else can join the first team until departures are made, and in recent weeks, candidates have emerged – with the biggest name being Vinicius Junior.

The last 12 months have been difficult for Vinicius, who has struggled to perform at his best level on a consistent basis. He has come in for criticism because of his underwhelming displays, and those within Real Madrid have not been happy with his efforts.

On the back of this, it has emerged that contract talks between Vinicius’ representatives and Real Madrid have stalled – and given that he has less than two years remaining on his current deal, there is uncertainty surrounding his future, especially with Saudi Arabia lurking.

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Real Madrid’s stance on Vinicius – which had previously been that he was unsellable – could be tested in the coming weeks, especially given that there are no plans for contract negotiations to resume anytime soon. According to Diario AS, it’s expected that both parties will not return to the table before 2026.

Real Madrid not prepared to meet Vinicius’ wage demands

The report has revealed that talks have actually been on hold since February, when Vinicius communicated his desire to become Real Madrid’s highest-paid player. The 24-year-old currently earns €15m, but he wants to go up to €20m per season – which would take him ahead of Kylian Mbappe. On his, Los Blancos officials are reluctant, which is why negotiations have been paused.

There is no doubt that Real Madrid are entering a crossroads. They must decide whether to cash in on Vinicius, whose departure would allow Mbappe to play in his preferred left-sided attacker role, or whether to press ahead with plans to offer their Brazilian superstar a new contract. The clock is ticking.