Madrid Teammates Growing Weary of Vinicius Jr., Reports Suggest Shift Towards Saudi Arabia from SPORT
Vinicius Jr.'s Real Madrid teammates are starting to grow weary of the Brazilian superstar, with reports suggesting he's being pushed towards a move to Saudi Arabia. According to SPORT, Vinicius has been at odds with some of his teammates, most notably Dani Ceballos and Luka Modric.
A viral clip showed Vinicius berating Ceballos for not passing to him during a frustrating 1-0 loss to Espanyol. Then, in the 3-2 win over Leganes in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, Modric criticized Vinicius for not returning to help defend. Ancelotti backed Modric in his post-match press conference.
Following a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid, Ancelotti seemed to criticize Vinicius for not following his instructions. However, Vinicius hasn't scored in La Liga since November, and his controversial comments about Spain being a racist country haven't helped his cause.
All this could push Vinicius closer to Saudi Arabia, where he's reportedly received lucrative offers. The 24-year-old could feel that his work in Madrid is done and that a change of scenery would benefit everyone involved.
The historic offer from Saudi Arabia's top clubs is estimated to be around €350 million, which would surpass the world record transfer fee for Neymar. Vinicius Jr. is under contract with Real Madrid until 2027, with a release clause of €1 billion, but the financial incentives from Saudi Arabia could sway him.
Talks of a contract renewal have stalled due to the insufficient salary offer from Real Madrid, and Vinicius Jr.'s personal ambition to win the Ballon d'Or could also play a role in his decision-making process. The final decision is expected to be made in the summer of 2025, when the transfer window opens.
vinicius jr.'s potential move to Saudi Arabia has garnered interest from FC Barcelona, with reports suggesting that the Spanish club is keen on acquiring his services, should he choose to leave Real Madrid. carlo ancelotti, Vinicius's current manager, has praised Kylian mbappe's performances, fueling speculations that Vinicius might be looking for a fresh start to win the 'Ballon d'or' himself. luka modric, Vinicius's teammate who criticized him, expressed his disappointment in not seeing Vinicius help defend during the Leganes game.
