Chelsea have not started “negotiations for Vinicius Junior,” according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano refuted claims from Spain that a bid in excess of £100m had been tabled for the Brazilian international:
“I don’t even know where the story is coming from, but I received tons of messages here on YouTube and on my platforms about Vinicius Junior and Chelsea. The story was about a 135million euros proposal to Real Madrid for Vinicius. What I can tell you guys is that this is not true.”
“Chelsea have not sent any bid for Vinicius Junior. Chelsea are not planning to send any bid for Vinicius Junior. Chelsea are not in negotiations for Vinicius Junior.”
“Vini at this stage is not planning for a January exit. So the situation is completely, completely not true, from what I understand. Being played down also from people close to the clubs, to the player. So only denials on this story about Vinicius and Chelsea. Remember that Real Madrid’s desire remains to get a new contract sorted for Vinicius Junior as soon as possible. But at the same time, it’s also up to Vinicius to decide.”
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Why has Vinicius Jr’s future become a talking point?
As Romano briefly mentions, contract talks between the player and Real are ongoing. There is believed to be a sizeable gap between the two sides in terms of finding an agreement.
Vinicius’s current deal expires in 2027, so there is now less than 18 months before the 25-year-old can leave the Bernabeu on a free transfer. It is, therefore, not surprising that there is plenty of speculation about his future.
What are Chelsea’s plans for January?
The Athletic‘s David Ornstein, as well as several other journalists, have all made similar claims that the Blues won’t be active this month.
While there was some interest in Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, that was seen as a market opportunity due to the existence of a £65m release clause.
Most of the activity in January is expected to be outgoings, with the futures of Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, and (potentially) Tyrique George needing to be resolved.
Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here