Shock at Real Madrid as Vinicius Junior holds secret talks with EPL giants

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has been the subject of on and off speculation over his future for the past year, following interest from Saudi Arabia. Few have considered the possibility that the Brazilian could make a move within Europe.

The 25-year-old is still yet to sign a new contract with Los Blancos, after months of stalemate. The two parties had reportedly reached an agreement on terms, but more recently, Vinicius has requested to be paid either the same or more than Kylian Mbappe. Even though Saudi Arabia have been cited as the main contenders for a potential exit, they seem to have eased away from a move.

According to indykaila, Vinicius has held talks in secret with Premier League giants Manchester City. They are reportedly exploring a move for teammate Rodrygo Goes, but they say that Vinicius is also open to a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu. Although he has concerns about their court case with the Premier League for financial crimes, Vinicius is considering his options.

They say that a move could be on the cards either this summer or next. City’s competitors, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea, are all keeping a close eye on Vinicius, who is ‘very keen’ on a move to the Premier League.

It is not clear whether Los Blancos would sanction a move for Vinicius to another European side – and it is notable that it is a Manchester City star they would pursue in that event. There are questions marks over his compatibility with Kylian Mbappe, and Real Madrid have made it clear that the side will be built around the Frenchman. Whereas a prospective move to Saudi Arabia would involve a fee of hundreds of millions, and moving him to a different continent, selling him to a Champions League rival for a more modest price is a different equation to consider.