Manchester United are reportedly ‘pushing’ hard to trump Chelsea in the race to sign Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, as per Spanish outlet Fichajes.
After moving to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu from Brazilian side Flamengo, the 25-year-old established himself as a talismanic figure, helping his side win every possible major trophy.
However, since Kylian Mbappe’s arrival last year, the Brazilian has lost his importance in Los Merengues’ starting line-up. Xabi Alonso has even started several games without him in the XI this term, and the forward expressed frustration when he was taken off in the El Clásico.
The Spanish boss has made the Frenchman the main man, giving him the responsibility for taking the penalties.
Now, Fichajes state that Vinicius is annoyed as he is no longer the protagonist of Real Madrid and is looking to leave the Spanish capital to become the star once again.
Moreover, the forward’s existing deal is set to expire in 2027, and they aren’t close to agreeing on an extension at the moment. So, speculation surrounding his future has started emerging ahead of the winter window.
Man Utd and Chelsea are looking to purchase Vinicius by taking advantage of his current situation, and the Blues have already launched a formal proposal worth around £150m.
Battle
However, Man Utd are determined to trump Chelsea in this race and are prepared to submit an offer of around £200m to buy their ‘priority target’. Real Madrid are considering recouping money by selling the player next year to avoid losing him for free in 2027.
Man Utd bolstered the wide forward positions by signing Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo last summer. Both have enjoyed a bright start this season, but United need to add depth in this area if they qualify for Europe next season.
On the other hand, Chelsea bought Estevao Willian, Alejandro Garnacho, and Jamie Gittens in the last transfer window. However, Enzo Maresca is seemingly planning to go for a more established name to take the next step in the rebuild.
Vinicius is one of the best forwards in the world and would be a great coup for Man Utd or Chelsea should either club eventually manage to lure him away from the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in January or next summer.
