In recent months, speculation surrounding Vinicius Junior’s future has intensified. Having lost his prominent role at Real Madrid following the arrival of Kylian Mbappe, the Brazilian winger could consider a change of scenery to relaunch his career, with Al Ittihad emerging as a potential option.
While the overall sporting level is far from that of Europe’s top leagues, the Saudi Pro League may be the only destination with the financial power to negotiate Vinicius’s transfer with Real Madrid, in what would likely become one of the most expensive moves in soccer history.
Asked about that possibility, Al Ittihad’s sporting director offered a candid response. “Yes, I see it as a possibility that players like Vinicius could be here in Saudi Arabia,” Ramon Planes said in a recent interview with Radioestadio Noche on Onda Cero.
“I see an evolution in the league, and it is feasible to have top-level players in their prime here,” Planes added. “The trend is now to bring in players at a very good stage of their footballing careers. It’s no longer only players in the final phase of their careers.”
Karim Benzema is Al Ittihad’s biggest star.
Indeed, during the first wave of signings, many of the players who joined the Saudi Pro League were closer to retirement than to the peak of their performance, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. However, that trend has shifted in recent transfer windows, as evidenced by the signings of players like Joao Felix, Darwin Nuñez, and Kingsley Coman.
see also
Vinicius Jr. has reportedly made a surprising move that nears him to the Premier League amid Rodrygo’s rise at Real Madrid
How much is Vinicius worth?
The financial power of Saudi Arabian clubs is beyond dispute. That is evident in the fact that the highest-paid player in the world currently plays there: Cristiano Ronaldo earns an estimated $240 million per year at Al Nassr.
However, a potential move for Vinicius would present a challenge unlike any Saudi Arabian clubs have faced so far. Securing his transfer would require negotiations with Real Madrid to reach a fee that is acceptable to all parties.
The Brazilian winger signed a contract extension through June 30, 2027, and has a release clause of €1 billion (approximately $1.17 billion). That figure is clearly unattainable—even for Saudi clubs—meaning Real Madrid would have to significantly lower their demands for a deal to be reached.
In any case, a potential transfer from La Liga to the Saudi Pro League would likely make Vinicius the most expensive player in soccer history, surpassing the record currently held by Neymar following his move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for €222 million.
