Five possible replacements for Vinicius Jr at Real Madrid

Cameron Smith

6 Sept 2024 20:00 BST
4 min read

Vinicius Junior’s future at Real Madrid suddenly appears far less certain than a few weeks ago.

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Many thought the Brazilian may be forced out due to the arrival of Kylian Mbappe, but the pair have worked in tandem nicely so far this campaign.

However, Vinicius Jr could still leave Real Madrid in 2025.

Firstly, the 25-year-old was recently the subject of a mammoth offer from Saudi Arabia, which included an annual salary of €200 million.

Al-Ahli were reportedly willing to spend €400m on Vinicius this summer, but Real Madrid insisted he would only be sold if his €1 billion release clause was triggered.

Despite this, an exit now seems plausible following his comments about the 2030 World Cup. The tournament is due to be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu expected to be the venue for the final.

However, Vinicius believes Spain should be stripped of hosting privileges if the country’s racism problems aren’t fixed.

He told CNN: “Until 2030, we have a lot of room to evolve. I hope that Spain can evolve, and understand how serious it is to insult someone because of the colour of their skin.

“If by 2030 things don't improve, I think we have to move the location, because if a player doesn't feel comfortable and safe playing in a country where they can suffer racism, it's a bit difficult.”

Spanish outlet Sport have now reported that Vinicius is no longer untouchable at Real Madrid, with the club open to the possibility of offloading the Brazil superstar.

If Vinicius does end up leaving Los Blancos next summer, who could his replacement be?

Erling Haaland (Man City)

Vinicius leaving would open the door to a move for Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

The Norway international has been heavily linked with a Real Madrid switch in recent months, and given he’s virtually conquered the Premier League, it’s certainly feasible.

Of course, Haaland isn’t a like-for-like replacement for Vinicius, but he would be deployed through the middle, allowing Mbappe to move into the left-wing position.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

A move for Mohamed Salah may not be at the top of Real Madrid’s wish-list, given his age, but he is set to become a free agent next summer and that is extremely intriguing.

The Egyptian King is expected to move to Saudi Arabia when he leaves Liverpool, however Los Blancos could certainly approach him with an offer.

Furthermore, Salah would allow Rodrygo to move across to his favoured left flank, with the ex-Chelsea winger taking over on the right.

Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)

Florian Wirtz is one of the most highly sought-after players in Europe and Real Madrid have been actively pursuing the Germany international for several years.

While Bayer Leverkusen will likely demand a sum in excess of €100m, the sale of Vinicius would help fund a move for Wirtz and help Real Madrid land yet another young star.

If Wirtz arrives, Jude Bellingham may well be pushed back into a false-nine role, while Mbappe would shift across and replace Vinicius on the left.

Nico Williams (Athletic Club)

If Real Madrid sign Nico Williams, they’d be landing one of the best young attackers in Europe and ruining Barcelona’s transfer plans in the process.

As a result, it’s an option they would certainly explore if Vinicius departs.

Williams is already a superstar and he is expected to leave Athletic Club next summer. Ending up at Real Madrid is therefore certainly a possibility.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)

It remains to be seen if Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will suit playing under Antonio Conte, but he is seemingly unsettled at Napoli.

His father is reportedly eager for the Georgia international to leave Italy and he recently admitted that Kvaratskhelia dreams of playing for Real Madrid.

The Napoli star shares several similarities to Vinicius in regards to playing style and he would likely be a fan favourite if he moves to the Santiago Bernabeu.