Vinicius Junior’s four Real Madrid problems broken down as fears of stunning exit to mega-rich club grow

James Marshment 18 Sep 2025 11:12 AM

Vinicius Junior has been linked with a high-profile exit at Real Madrid

A strained relationship between Vinicius Junior and manager Xabi Alonso has been cited as one of FOUR reasons for his struggles at Real Madrid this season, while TEAMtalk has looked into whether the Brazilian could depart and, with a mega-money move to one of the world’s richest clubs in 2026 strongly touted.

Real Madrid are off to a flyer under new coach, Alonso. They have won four out of four matches in LaLiga, conceding just two goals in the process, to move two points ahead of reigning champions Barcelona in the fledgling table. A come-from-behind win over Marseille in the Champions League this week also sets up Los Blancos perfectly for what they hope will be yet another successful campaign in Europe.

However, while Real have started the season in perfect fashion, the struggles of talismanic star Vinicius Junior illustrate a player who is a long way off the brilliant form that made him a leading candidate for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.

Having been benched for Tuesday’s 2-1 win over the French side at the Bernabeu, ESPN cites what they describe as a ‘difficult relationship’ between both the player and the manager, and with Vini Jnr left to compete with his compatriot Rodrigo for minutes down the left side of Real Madrid’s attack.

Journalist Manu Carreno has gone a little deeper and feels there are three factors behind his struggles, suggesting that the 25-year-old has suffered from losing his crown as Real’s main man, and having witnessed Kylian Mbappe stealing the limelight away from him.

“He comes from a very bad year,” Carreno told Cadena Ser. “After having had two seasons where he was the star of Real Madrid in both the Champions League and La Liga, becoming the most unbalanced player in the world, he has gone on to have an irrelevant role in Madrid.

“A new coach has arrived who, due to the characteristics of one or the other, I think he likes players who are also associated on the inside more than those on the pure wing. That’s why he’s convinced by players like Guler, Mastantuono or Rodrygo, who are on the wing, but who also go inside.”

Of apparent tensions with Alonso, he explained: “I believe that Xabi’s decisions are footballing, I really believe it. If Xabi makes a decision like this it’s because he thinks that way, but I don’t know if it helps Vinicius to continue postponing the renewal. Or does anyone believe that Mbappé, when everyone knew he was going to Real Madrid and started to be a substitute because Luis Enrique sat him down, it was only because of a sporting decision?”

Off the back of this, reports of a mega-money move to Al-Hilal in 2026 have started to gather pace – and this time there could be legs in the exit speculation….

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Could Vinicius Junior leave Real Madrid for Al-Hilal?

According to Fichajes, who are admittedly not the most reliable source and are often famed for their speculative headlines, the mega-rich Saudi Arabian side are ready to test the waters and submit an offer of more than €100m (£87m, €119m) for the Brazilian attacker.

While previous talk of selling Vinicius Junior could have been discounted, the fact that he is now competing with minutes with Rodrigo, while factoring in the options of Arda Guler and summer signing, Franco Mastantuono – two players Alonso rates highly – means the competition for places has never been fiercer.

Significantly, a giant offer for a star whose current deal expires in summer 2027 could become increasingly tempting for Los Blancos, especially with that new deal seemingly having been left unsigned.

The Spanish giants will be all too aware of the dangers of his depreciating value as time ticks along. And by the time the January window opens, the 41-times capped Brazil star will have just 18 months remaining on his current contract.

As Carreno explains, the silence has been deafening over his new deal.

“When I mentioned before the Club World Cup that there was an agreement between Real Madrid and Vinicius to renew, it is because that agreement was practically done. We didn’t tell it because we had heard it, it hadn’t reached us… They had it that way, agreed.

“It was not signed before, which is what was planned, and it was postponed until after the Club World Cup. However, after the Club World Cup, it was not signed either…”