Saudi Arabia to give Vinicius Junior exit route from Real Madrid this summer | OneFootball

Vinicius Junior’s delicate relationship with Real Madrid and the fans has required careful treading for some time, since contract talks were frozen, and his form has dipped. Saudi Arabia appear to be hoping to take advantage of that.

The Brazilian’s agents were reportedly requesting a salary on par with that of Kylian Mbappe last summer, something Real Madrid have not been willing to offer. However the exit of Xabi Alonso appears to have eased tensions, and negotiations are expected to resume before the end of the month.

Saudi Arabia line up second pursuit

Image via TNT Sports Brasil.

Vinicius was pursued by Saudi Arabia two summers ago, with a reported €1b contract on the table for a five-year deal. Those talks did not go further, but Diario AS say that Vinicius is one of three major targets Saudi Arabia have lined up for the summer, alongside Mohamed Salah and Casemiro. They do note that he is leaning towards renewing his contract with Real Madrid, which expires in 2027.

On top of that, Ben Jacobs claims that Vinicius’ agent, Federico Pena, has been in conversations with Saudi Arabia for the past year. Al Ahli are his primary suitor in the Saudi Pro League.

‘Vinicius feels supported by his teammates’

On Tuesday, after a man of the match performance against AS Monaco, Vinicius admitted that he had been saddened by the reaction of the Bernabeu in recent weeks, as they consistently whistle him. However he did also declare that he wants to stay at the club.

Speaking to Cadena Cope on Thursday night, Brazilian journalist Tati Mantovani explained that Vinicius had been affected by the fan response, but that he remains comfortable in Madrid, and feels supported by his teammates, Alvaro Arbeloa and the club.

Certainly from Pena’s point of view, if he were looking to drive up the price, it would be a good time to explore interest from Saudi Arabia. By the same token, with Vinicius having just 18 months remaining on his contract, this may well be their best shot at signing him.