Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior is never too far away from the headlines, but more than anything else, the narrative that has appeared most often has been the links to Saudi Arabia. The Brazilian has assured that he intends to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu for many years to come, but was also reportedly present during a meeting with Saudi officials in February.
The Middle Eastern superpower has been courting Vinicius since last summer, with the promise of a €1b contract for the 24-year-old. Meanwhile Vinicius has reportedly been keen for a wage rise at Real Madrid, one that would take him well clear of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe in terms of earning potential. Most recently, the Madrid-based media reported that Los Blancos had contacted Vinicius to find out his demands, and would resume talks towards the end of the season.
However Sport say that significant progress has been made on a new deal. After Real Madrid President Florentino Perez made it abundantly clear to Vinicius that he would not be breaking his wage structure, both sides have compromised. They say that Vinicius will receive a wage rise, but not one that would take him far in excess of Mbappe. An agreement is close and the intention would be to announce it after the season has unfolded. However they do say that a special clause is being considered, where if Saudi Arabia did present a mammoth offer, then Real Madrid would be obligated to at least listen to it or accept it.
While for many fans the idea of leaving Real Madrid for Saudi Arabia would be baffling, the money reportedly on offer is unprecedented for an athlete, and he would still be in his late twenties by the time he was free to return to European football. However it appears far more likely that it will end in a flirtation than a groundbreaking move at the time of writing.
