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The Saudi Pro League is reportedly keen on signing Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr. as a replacement for exit-bound Neymar Jr. The latter joined Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a reported €90 million in the summer of 2023.
Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr. has been one of Real Madrid's most significant attackers and is often considered one of the best players in the world. The Brazilian stood second in the Ballon d'Or rankings behind Manchester City's Rodri this year. In 281 outings for Los Blancos, the Brazil international has recorded 95 goals and 82 assists across competitions.
According to MARCA, the Saudi Pro League is keen on bringing Vinicius Jr. to the Middle East to replace Al-Hilal ace Neymar Jr. The reports come amid Al-Hilal allegedly wanting to terminate Neymar's contract prematurely in January 2025 due to his recurring injury woes.
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Vinicius, however, is reportedly happy at Real Madrid with his current contract set to expire in 2027. The Selecao superstar is not keen on leaving in the near future. However, the Saudi league still wishes to pursue the superstar winger with a lucrative deal.
Despite being one of Al-Hilal's biggest signings in 2023, Neymar was unable to help the club owing to injuries. The Brazil international remained out for a year owing to an ACL injury picked up during international duty in October 2023. He returned to pitch for Al-Hilal this October but sustained a hamstring injury once again on November 4.
Due to Neymar's recurring injury issues, the league sees his compatriot Vinicius Jr. as the perfect replacement for the Brazilian superstar. The Real Madrid ace has maintained his impressive form this season making himself a dream signing for multiple clubs worldwide. In 17 outings for Los Blancos this season, Vinicius has recorded 12 goals and seven assists.
"I want to stay here forever" - Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr. makes feelings clear amid Saudi links
Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr. recently said that he would like to stay at Real Madrid forever. His comments came after he scored a hat-trick in the Merengues' 5-2 win against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League on October 22.
In the post-match press conference, Vinicius made confident claims about staying with Los Blancos for a long time, saying (via ESPN):
"I'm still only 24. I want to stay here forever and contribute as much as possible to this team, which has given me everything since I arrived here. (...) This [UCL] is our competition and we want to win it again."
Vinicius Jr. joined Real Madrid from Brazilian side Flamengo in 2018 and quickly rose to become one of their best players. The forward has won two Champions League titles and three LaLiga titles among other honors with the Merengues.
In the 2023-24 season, Vini Jr. was key to Los Blancos' triumph in the UEFA Champions League, LaLiga, and the Supercopa de Espana. He recorded 24 goals and 11 assists in 39 appearances across competitions last season. Given how vocal he is about his love for the Spanish giants, it is unlikely that Vinicius will move to any other side in the near future.
