Man Utd’s ‘unexpected obsession’ with Real Madrid star could open door for Mbappe

Robin Bairner

• 3 Nov 2023 12:38 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester United have been linked with a transfer for Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior in what is described in Spain as an “unlikely obsession”.

According to Fichajes, Man Utd are still keeping tabs on the 23-year-old attacker, yet the prospects of the Old Trafford capturing the Brazil international are “almost impossible”, according to the Spanish source.

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While the Red Devils are in crisis, Vini Jr has just signed a new contract with Real Madrid that will keep him tied to the club until June 2027. With a €1 billion release clause attached to this new deal, there is no prospect of United prising the player away against the will of Los Blancos, who have no desire to offload the forward.

United, meanwhile, are willing to offer Vini Jr a contract worth more than €20m per year in order to sign him for the club.

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Vini Jr out, Mbappe in?

This uncertainty over the South American, though, could play into the hands of Real Madrid when it comes to signing Kylian Mbappe from PSG on a free transfer next June.

The Parisian has long been eyed as a potential centre forward for LaLiga’s leaders, yet his best performances have typically come from the left wing, which is the role that he prefers.

At Real Madrid, though, there is no debating that Vini Jr is the starting left winger, posing the question over whether Mbappe would be happy playing as a No.9 for the long term. He previously complained about playing the lone centre-forward role at PSG under the coaching of Christophe Galtier.

If there is any significant doubt over Vinicius Junior’s future at the Bernabeu, that could open the door a little for the 24-year-old France international to join up. After all, Real Madrid would be all the more attractive if there was a prospect of him getting game time in the position where he is the most effective.

In the meantime, though, no one is seriously expecting Man Utd to move for Vini Jr, with a centre-forward also on the shopping list at Old Trafford.

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