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Vinícius Júnior is the latest target for the Saudi Pro League, a source has told ESPN, and the Real Madrid player is considering a proposal to move to the Gulf country.
Vinícius, 24, helped lead Madrid to a Champions League and LaLiga double last season and is among the leading candidates to win the Ballon d’Or this year.
There have been talks between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Real Madrid about the move, the source said, although the LaLiga giants do not want the star to leave.
The source told ESPN that there has not yet been an official, formal offer for Vinícius.
Vinícius scored 24 goals in all competitions for Madrid in 2023-24 and has become a key player for the club since joining in 2018, scoring in two Champions League finals.
The Saudi PIF owns 75% of the capital of the country’s four main clubs: Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal and Al Nassr.
The idea behind the Saudi project would be for Vinícius to be the country’s ambassador for the 2034 World Cup.
The Saudis approached the Brazil international representatives and discussed an annual salary of up to €350 million ($382.5m), the source said, and the player hasn’t yet dismissed the idea.
Real Madrid would expect to receive Vinícius’ buyout clause, which stands at €1 billion. The forward’s contract at the Bernabéu runs until June 2027.
The source, close to the player, told ESPN that Real Madrid would need to accept a transfer fee below the value of the release clause for the deal to go through.