Olaleye Idowu
Real Madrid is considering a move for Manchester City’s Erling Haaland if Vinicius Junior chooses to leave for Saudi Arabia this year.
Haaland is Los Blancos’ plan B, as Vinicius continues to be linked with the Middle East.
The Brazilian is still locked in negotiations with the LaLiga giants over a new contract.
Vinicius’s current deal with Madrid expires in 2027, but the club is keen to tie him down to a new deal in the coming months.
The Spanish club want to avoid Vinicius slipping into free transfer exit territory from 2026 onwards.
The major stumbling block is Vinicius’ demand for a wage rise to bring him above teammates Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham as the club’s top earner.
This would break Madrid’s strict wage structure — something club president Florentino Perez is against.
That has kept the link to Saudi Arabia alive, with his representatives rumoured to have met with intermediaries in September, made contact again in December, and held a face-to-face meeting with Vinicius and his entourage in Prague in February.
