Ever since Vinicius Jr was denied the 2023 Ballon d’Or in favour of Rodri - whether rightly or wrongly - the Brazilian winger has been on the decline and, now at just 25, could be sold by Real Madrid as soon as next summer. Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham are the crown jewels of Xabi Alonso’s side these days, which has caused some of the old guard’s star power to fade.
According to a report from BILD, the decision to potentially move him on was made prior to this week’s 1-0 loss to Liverpool in the Champions League - their second consecutive defeat at Anfield in as many seasons. Yet, it is ironic that murmurs of discontent are only now becoming louder following a performance that seemed to prove he is currently not living up to the hype surrounding him.
Up against Conor Bradley, who won 100 per cent of his tackles and all eight of his duels, the Brazilian lost possession nine times and had zero shots. While it was a performance of a lifetime for the Liverpool defender, it was the complete opposite for Vinicius Jr - but it appears that mentality issues, instead, are costing him a place in his club’s long-term plans.
Vinicius Jr Could Be Sold By Real Madrid Next Summer
Vinicius Jr
The report from the German outlet claims that the club have “had enough of the Brazilian’s escapades”, with the star’s rant at manager Xabi Alonso after being subbed off in the triumphant El Clasico being the final straw. As he walked off the pitch, he was caught by Spanish TV cameras questioning: “Me? Me? Gaffer, gaffer! Me?”
Vinicius then stormed straight down the tunnel, appearing to yell (watch the incident below): “It’s always me, I’m leaving the team. I’m leaving, I’d better leave.” He was then forced to apologise both in public and in private to the coach.
But on the same day as the apology, an article appeared in The Athletic claiming that some players had issues with Alonso’s style of management and his demand for discipline. BILD report that the club fears members of Vinicius Jr’s camp were responsible for that particular leak.
Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso reacts
After infuriating the club during El Clasico, the winger sparked another row just this past weekend when he took a penalty from Mbappe against Valencia - and missed. Considering how well Los Blancos had been performing under Alonso, having won 13 of 14 games prior to the defeat at Merseyside, club president Florentino Perez is reportedly taking the manager’s side.
Needless to say, Vinicius wouldn’t be short of potential buyers if he were put on the transfer list. And with only a year remaining on his contract once next summer rolls around, the forward - who has scored 111 goals, provided 87 assists, and won two Champions League titles in 337 Real Madrid appearances - may not command as much as his £132 million market value might suggest.