Real Madrid eyes $90 million Champions League winner who could win the Ballon d’Or

Real Madrid is gearing up for its debut under Xabi Alonso at the Santiago Bernabéu, all while the European transfer market heats up and the 2025 Ballon d’Or storyline looms just weeks away. One of the award’s frontrunners, with a €90 million release clause, has emerged as a possible replacement for Luka Modric.

Vitinha, 25, is under contract until June 30, 2029, and is being reported by Diario MARCA in Spain as a name on Real Madrid’s shortlist for the future. Rodri of Manchester City is also part of the equation as the club searches for a playmaking midfielder following the recent departures of both Modric and Toni Kroos. The Portuguese star could make history in Paris in just a few weeks.

The midfielder comes off a season in which he won everything with Paris Saint-Germain under Luis Enrique—except for the first large-scale FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

On the international stage, he helped Portugal, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, defeat Spain to win the nation’s second-ever UEFA Nations League title. Seen as a player of immense quality, Vitinha is considered by the Madrid hierarchy as perhaps the only one capable of taking over Modric’s role in the Spanish capital.

A complicated deal with PSG

Vitinha’s release clause is a key factor, as PSG and Real Madrid have severed institutional relations following the Kylian Mbappé saga. This means the only possible way to sign him would be to pay the clause in full, bypassing negotiations.

MARCA also reports that the Portuguese midfielder’s clause is set to decrease each year, potentially making a move easier in the summer of 2026. At that point, Madrid is expected to target both midfielders and center-backs to bolster a squad already loaded with attacking talent. For now, Vitinha and Rodri remain the only two names that truly convince the board as heirs to Modric and Kroos.

Donnarumma’s uncertain future at PSG

Another hot storyline at PSG is Gianluigi Donnarumma’s contract situation. The goalkeeper’s current deal expires in 12 months, and renewal talks have stalled completely. French reports even suggest a possible exit before the transfer window closes, with the Premier League being the most likely destination. PSG has already signed Lucas Chevalier from Lille as a precaution.

Manchester United is seen as the frontrunner to land Donnarumma, according to Le Parisien. With André Onana’s future at Old Trafford uncertain, the Italian could see the English top flight as his next big move. The transfer window remains open until the end of August.