That Vinícius Júnior is one of the most unbalancing players in the world is no longer up for debate. His breakthrough at Real Madrid has put him on the radar of many clubs. Despite the doubts his performance in the last season has caused.
What no one expected is that the top favorite to sign him if he were to leave Bernabéu wouldn't be in Europe. Not Manchester City, not PSG, not any Premier League giant. The bomb comes from another continent.
Transfermarkt releases the fact that shakes Madridism
The surprise has come from the well-known platform Transfermarkt, specialized in market valuations and transfer analysis. According to its latest statistics, there's a team that has surged as the favorite in the hypothetical case that Vinícius leaves Real Madrid.
That team is Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia, which appears as the most voted destination by users. In fact, almost 50% believe he'd end up there if he leaves the white club. An extremely high percentage that gives a lot to think about.
Saudi Arabia doesn't let up and strikes again
The Saudi league has spent years trying to attract the best in the world. After signing Neymar, Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, or Kanté, its next goal is clear: players at their peak, like Vinícius. Al Hilal wants to be the one to make it happen.
It's not the first time they've asked about him. They already tried a year ago, but at Madrid they didn't even consider a sale.
However, in Saudi Arabia they know that insisting is their best asset. They have almost unlimited financial arguments.
There are no doubts about Vinícius at Real Madrid
Meanwhile, the message from the white club is one of absolute calm. Vinícius is non-transferable, he has a contract until 2027 and a release clause of €1 billion. In addition, Xabi Alonso considers him a key piece in his project.
Florentino Pérez isn't considering opening the door to any kind of negotiation. Not even with astronomical figures. Only if Vinícius himself were to ask to leave would the club consider his transfer, always for an astronomical figure.
A warning for the future that shouldn't be ignored
What this fact does make clear is that, in the current scenario, Saudi Arabia keeps gaining ground. Its ability to tempt the best is real. If one day Vinícius decides to make a change in his career, Al Hilal has the advantage.
As of today, no one at Real Madrid can imagine him leaving. But soccer changes quickly. If the Saudis have proved anything, it's that when they target a star, sooner or later they end up succeeding.