Former Barcelona chief, Planes, now sporting director at Al-Ittihad, openly discussed Vinicius’ situation while speaking about the evolution of football in Saudi Arabia. Addressing the possibility of a move, he told MARCA: "Yes, I see it as a possibility that players like Vinicius could be here in Saudi Arabia. I see an evolution of the championship and it is feasible to have players of the highest level and at their best here."
Planes stressed that the Saudi project is no longer focused on late-career signings. "The trend is already to incorporate players at a very good footballing age. It’s no longer just players in the last stage of their careers," he added, underlining the ambition to compete with Europe for elite talent.
The former Barcelona and Real Betis sporting director also widened the scope of his vision, suggesting Saudi clubs could eventually rub shoulders with Europe’s elite on the biggest stage. "I wouldn’t rule it out at all. Sport is globalising," Planes said, when asked about Saudi participation alongside clubs such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.