Liverpool have reportedly been in contact with Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior's representatives as speculation grows over the Brazilian's future.
David Ornstein revealed on Saturday that Arsenal are exploring a potential move for Vinicius, who has a year left on his contract. Madrid don't want to lose the player for free and could be forced to cash in on him this summer.
Vinicius has been a talisman at the Estadio Bernabeu over the years but hasn't always had the best relationship with fans. Jose Mourinho's appointment caused a stir following a race row between the attacker and Mourinho's former Benfica star Gianluca Prestianni.
Liverpool Reaffirm Interest in Vinicius
Vinicius JrDanilo Fernandez / Fotoarena/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
While Arsenal appear to be the club mostly pushing to sign Vinicius, Liverpool are also in the race should the player decide to leave Madrid. A report from TEAMtalk claims that the Merseysiders have reaffirmed their interest along with Manchester City.
Andoni Iraola is keen to add an elite attacker to his squad following Mohamed Salah's departure. They had set their sights on Yan Diomande but the Ivorian prioritised a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Madrid are now working on a deal for Diomande which has led to talk of the RB Leipzig star replacing Vinicius. The Brazilian has been in talks over a new contract but they haven't reached a positive conclusion.
The 26-year-old earns around £21.3 million annually and Los Blancos are believed to have proposed a new deal worth £34.1m per year. Should he be on the move, it will be interesting to see whether Premier League suitors are willing to exceed their wage budgets to match or even increase that proposal.
Vinicius Makes Liverpool Title Favourites
Vinicius Jr scores for Real MadridREUTERS/Marcelo Del Pozo
Liverpool have been linked with Vinicius, dubbed "the best player in the world", for a number of years, and he has a storied history with the Reds. He's come up against the Anfield outfit in two Champions League finals, scoring the winner in the 2022 final.
Vinicius is a bona fide superstar who would immediately take Iraola's side back into the title race. That said, his salary demands will probably be an issue and that might be the biggest stumbling block.
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola watching on from the touchline Related
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If the Brazilian does head for the Bernabeu exit door, a move to Merseyside could be an ideal destination for him. He'd be Salah's heir, taking the Egyptian's throne as the Kop's new hero.