Vinicius Junior’s Premier League Preference Revealed: Arsenal Leap Ahead of Man Utd in Race for Real Madrid Star
Vinicius Junior has reportedly told Real Madrid’s head, Florentino Perez, that he’s not planning to renew his contract past 2027 because of a difficult connection with coach Xabi Alonso.
His departure might even happen sooner than that. This comes after he showed clear displeasure and mumbled about always being the target after being taken off the field during a recent El Clasico match.
“The Athletic” reports that the problems between Vinicius and Alonso have only intensified as the season progressed, becoming a constant source of discussion both within and outside the club.
Now, Vinicius and his team are likely considering which global football clubs could afford the estimated £150 million transfer fee, match his current salary of £350,000 per week, and be willing to accept that he needs to be the central figure at the club.
This is seemingly to avoid potential issues if he doesn’t feel like the main player.
Most people would bet that Saudi Arabian clubs are the most likely destination, given their financial resources.
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However, let’s also consider his potential moves within the English Premier League. We’ve assessed the top six teams and ranked their likelihood of signing him.
6. Tottenham Hotspur
It would be fascinating to witness Thomas Frank teaching Vinicius about perfectly timing his forward movements to capitalize on headed passes from long balls, a tactic that never seemed to work for Richarlison.
“Is there no chance we can build up play with short passes, coach?” Vinicius asks, prompting barely concealed laughter from the Tottenham players.
“Absolutely not, but just take a look at our impressive stadium,” Frank responds, speaking louder and with more emphasis.
5. Liverpool
It would be incredibly typical of this new Liverpool leadership, Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards, to survey their worrying defensive vulnerabilities, the significant drop in energy and effectiveness in midfield.
And the overall lack of teamwork and unity within a squad that’s recently acquired a huge amount of expensive, top-tier players (amounting to £420 million!), and conclude that the most effective solution is to bring in a well-known, temperamental, and demanding winger to play on the left flank.
Instead of prioritizing someone to fill the gap on the right side, where they already have a difficult and temperamental winger.
4. Chelsea
It would be exciting to see an all-Brazilian attacking lineup at Chelsea’s stadium, but the club’s strategy focuses on developing players with high resale value, not splurging on established stars.
A major distinction between Vinicius and the potential Chelsea duo of Joao Pedro and Estevao lies in the latter pair’s exceptional defensive contributions and overall work rate, in addition to their offensive skills.
Furthermore, there’s a strong chance that Chelsea’s management might consider Vinicius, at 25, too senior for their current direction. He would be among the most experienced players in the team.
However, the potential entertainment value of witnessing Vinicius’s reaction if his younger compatriot Estevao were to win the Ballon d’Or award before him would be a significant reward in itself.
It seems crazy to most young people that Vinicius Junior would even contemplate transferring to Manchester United.
The vast majority don’t recall their last Premier League victory over a decade ago and instead hear stories of their past dominance from older relatives or friends, struggling to understand why some fans still wear vintage Ronaldo jerseys.
Vinicius was likely just a young child when Ronaldo, Rooney, and Tevez spearheaded United’s attack to win the Champions League in 2008.
Back then, they weren’t just a famous club; they were genuinely one of the best in the world, and probably a dream destination for a young player like Vini Jr.
Whispers are circulating that a benefactor will foot the bill for his move to Manchester United, suggesting INEOS might be taking a different approach than the previous regime.
It seems they’re steering clear of massive deals for fleeting, headline-grabbing players. They’re also apparently focusing on talent already in the UK, finding some promise with potential acquisitions like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.
However, we can’t ignore Manchester United’s persistent desire to remind everyone of their status and ability to lure the absolute elite, even if those players don’t necessarily fit the team’s needs or could even jeopardize the fragile progress made under Ruben Amorim.
It’s that ingrained need to make a statement that often overrides better judgment.
2. Manchester City
That brief “Vinicius is… amazing” comment from Pep Guardiola during a press conference has, unsurprisingly, been interpreted by some media sources as an indication that the Manchester City boss wants to acquire the Brazilian player.
However, that remark came in the middle of a response praising Jeremy Doku’s outstanding performance and highlighting how the “remarkable” Liverpool defender Conor Bradley struggled against him in City’s recent 3-0 victory over Liverpool, despite having previously handled Vinicius effectively.
Guardiola also mentioned in the same press briefing that Doku “may not become an elite goalscorer,” and that City could greatly benefit from increased goal contributions from their attacking players beyond Erling Haaland’s efforts – something Vinicius could potentially deliver.
While a move under Guardiola isn’t impossible, it feels more like a desperate measure from a state-backed football club seeking to boost merchandise sales and recover from the departure of a legendary manager.
1) Arsenal
It’s not a particularly flattering assessment of Vinicius that a team as superbly organized and high-performing as Arsenal needs to be able to accommodate him.
While his offensive talent might not compensate for his defensive shortcomings for other Premier League clubs, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal might have reached a point in their development where they can tolerate a player who doesn’t fully contribute defensively, provided that player significantly enhances their attacking capabilities.
They are reportedly prepared to spend considerable resources and are considered the frontrunners to acquire him.
