Vinicius Junior: A Target for Saudi Pro League Amid Challenges at Real Madrid

According to a recent report by sports broadcaster Ben Jacobs, Saudi dealmakers are preparing to challenge Real Madrid’s commitment by presenting an extraordinary offer for Vinicius Junior at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season. Al-Ahli appears to be the leading Saudi Pro League club interested in acquiring the 25-year-old forward, with reports suggesting that they are willing to propose a staggering contract valued at €1 billion (£870 million/$1.2 billion).

While Real Madrid is reportedly eager for Vinicius to extend his current contract, which is set to expire in June 2027, negotiations have allegedly been stalled since the tenure of former manager Xabi Alonso. The relationship between Vinicius and Alonso was marked by difficulties, culminating in Alonso’s dismissal following a disappointing 3-2 loss to their arch-rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final.

The report further claims that officials from the Saudi Pro League have been in discussions with Vinicius’ representatives for over a year, aiming to secure another prominent player for the league. Notable stars currently in the Saudi Pro League include Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho, Riyad Mahrez, Kingsley Coman, and Ruben Neves.

As for Vinicius’ long-term future, it remains uncertain, particularly given the challenges he has faced this season. The former Flamengo star was frequently booed by Real’s supporters during a poor spell in which he went 22 games without scoring, although he managed to find the net against Barcelona in the Super Cup final.

Vinicius, along with teammates Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde, faced significant criticism from the Bernabeu crowd during their recent La Liga match against Levante, largely due to their strained relationship with Alonso, who previously played for Real from 2009 to 2014. Following his substitution in a 2-1 victory against Barcelona in October, Vinicius expressed frustration, reportedly exclaiming, “Always me! I’m leaving the team! It’s better if I leave, I’m leaving,” though he later apologized to fans for his outburst.

Nevertheless, Vinicius rebounded impressively, scoring one goal and assisting two others in Real’s commanding 6-0 victory over Monaco in the Champions League. He was joined on the scoresheet by Kylian Mbappe (two goals), Bellingham, and Franco Mastantuono, while Thilo Kehrer contributed an own goal, placing Real in a favorable position to qualify for the last 16.

Real Madrid, having appointed Alvaro Arbeloa as Alonso’s successor, is set to face former manager Jose Mourinho in their upcoming match against Benfica on January 28. Reflecting on the struggles he has endured at Real this season, Vinicius stated after the Monaco match: “The last few days have been very difficult for me. Because of the whistles, and because of everything that’s been said. I’m always in the spotlight, and I don’t want to be there for things that happen off the pitch; I want to be there for what I do on the pitch.”

Arbeloa praised Vinicius for his man-of-the-match performance against Monaco, noting, “When the Bernabeu is with him, he’s unstoppable. If we want to fight for trophies, we need him. Vini needs to feel loved. He’s very emotional. He needs to feel that affection.”

Before the match against Mourinho’s team, Real will face Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday evening. Currently, Arbeloa’s squad sits second in the table, just one point behind Barcelona, who will be playing against Real Oviedo the following day.