The club pulling on Vini Jr’s heartstrings as Real Madrid contract runs down

Flamengo has just re-signed Lucas Paquetá, one of the many top players who came through the ranks at the Rio de Janeiro club, but they’re aiming for more. In the last few hours, the dream of signing Vinicius Júnior is more alive than ever. They know any possible deal would only happen with the player’s desire yet they are opening the door wide for him to shine again at the Maracanã.

Vinicius left Flamengo in 2017 and, after nine years, is experiencing one of his toughest moments in Madrid. He’s being booed by the Santiago Bernabéu crowd and was suffering a prolonged goal drought in LaLiga, which he was finally able to break on Sunday.

Flamengo are aware of this tough situation: they know they would give him all the affection he deserves and that he would be a true idol upon his return.

José Boto, Flamengo’s director of football, was clear in his statements on Vini during the presentation of Paquetá: “His contract is about to end; he sent me a nice gift, an autographed jersey. You can only fight for these kinds of players when they really want to come. It depends more on Vini than on us. The door is always open for Vini.”

Vinicius’ contract ends in June 2027, when he will be close to turning 27 and will have spent more than a decade at Real Madrid. Is it time for a change of scenery? Boto knows that at that point there would be an option: “The contract is about to end, we won’t have to pay Real Madrid anything."

Paquetá rejected offers from major Premier League clubs, but his desire was to wear the Flamengo shirt again, as was confirmed during his presentation: “Without Paquetá, this transfer would have been impossible, no matter how much money we had. Without his desire, what he has done to be here today, and his team, who have also helped a lot, it wouldn’t have been possible.

“This shows how much he loves Flamengo, how much he loved Flamengo. For this price, there were between 10 and 15 clubs in Europe that could have signed him.”

The rumours will not stop until Vinicius extends his contract with Real Madrid, and the next few weeks could prove crucial with the performance of Arbeloa’s team in the decisive part of the season.Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.