Real Madrid superstar offered himself to Saudi Arabia through agents – report | OneFootball

Despite being one of Real Madrid’s most important players, Vinicius Jr.’s future at the club is far from secure.

As a matter of fact, the speculation surrounding Vinicius’ potential move to Saudi Arabia has intensified in recent weeks.

While the Brazilian forward has remained coy on the matter, a fresh report from MARCA has revealed a rather surprising development.

Vinicius contacted Saudi Arabia in 2023

According to the report, Vinicius was not simply a target of the Saudi Pro League but was, in fact, the one who initiated contact about a possible transfer, back in 2023.

The report adds that Vinicius’ representatives, Fred Pena and Thiago Freitas, reached out persistently in 2023 until they secured a meeting with Saad Al Lazeez, then-head of the Saudi Pro League.

This revelation shifts the narrative significantly, as it was previously believed that Saudi clubs were aggressively pursuing Real Madrid’s number seven.

Vinicius’ representatives had contacted Saudi Pro League in 2023 (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Instead, it turns out that his own entourage was exploring the possibility of a move, long before the recent billion-euro contract offer came into play.

The timing of this approach is notable. In mid-2023, Saudi Arabia launched the PACE initiative, providing major financial backing to clubs for marquee signings.

This led to the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Benzema, and other global stars. With Neymar recently departing Al Hilal, the need for another high-profile signing has only grown, and Vinicius now finds himself at the center of this push.

Despite having a contract with Real Madrid until 2027 and a staggering €1 billion release clause, the Brazilian has been described as seriously considering the Saudi offer, which reportedly includes a mind-blowing €1 billion salary over five years.

Keeping that in mind, it will be interesting to see whether or not Vinicius’ future lies at Real Madrid in the near future.