$1 billion for Vinicius! Here's why Real Madrid star won't move to Saudi

Vinicius Jr's possible move to Saudi Arabia has been making the rounds on the internet lately, with the Saudi Pro League offering him a whopping $1 billion contract.

Spanish champions Real Madrid are prepared for another action-packed season with a squad full of Galacticos. The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius Júnior, among others, are set to leave defenders gasping for air in the 2024-25 season.

However, news has been circulating about 24-year-old Vinicius Junior's possible move to Saudi Arabia, with the Saudi Pro League reportedly offering him a staggering $1 billion contract. Media reports further suggest that if the deal goes through, Vinícius will become the highest-paid player in football history.

Why Vinícius Won’t Move to Saudi Arabia?

While any other team might seize the deal eagerly, Real Madrid is not a side that can be easily lured by such an offer.

"I can guarantee that there’s NOTHING into it". It's pure speculation," Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti.

So, why won’t Vinicius make the move?

After a fantastic season with Los Blancos last year, potential Ballon d'Or winner Vinicius Junior is a key player for Real Madrid, who won't let him go easily. Real Madrid owner Florentino Perez has already set a 1 billion euro release clause for the Brazilian winger, underscoring how crucial he is to the team’s success.

Reports also suggest that Saudi Arabia is offering him a separate 10-year contract to become the ambassador for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which the nation will host.

Why Vinícius is Key to Real Madrid's success?
 

Vinicius Junior has been in excellent form lately, scoring 24 goals and providing 11 assists in 39 matches last season, helping Real Madrid secure the Spanish league title—La Liga—along with a record-extending 15th Uefa Champions League title.

The Brazilian winger joined Real Madrid in 2018 from Flamengo and secured a permanent place in the team within a few years.

High-profile players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, and even Neymar Junior have already moved to Saudi clubs, causing a stir in the footballing world in recent years. The founding clubs of the Saudi Pro League—Al Nassr, Al Ahly, Al Ittihad, and Al Hilal—are all owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the nation’s sovereign wealth fund.

Star footballers who switched to Saudi Pro League
Player	To	Transfer fee	Year
Gini Wijnaldum	Al Ettifaq	£7.7m ($9.7m)	September, 2023
Yassine Bounou	Al Hilal	£10.2m ($13m)	August, 2023
Aleksandar Mitrovic	Al Hilal	£45m ($57m)	August, 2023
Otavio	Al Nassr	£51.4m ($65m)	August, 2023
Aymeric Laporte	Al Nassr	£23.5m ($29.8m)	August, 2023
Neymar Jr	Al Hilal	£76.9m ($97.8m)	August, 2023
Habib Diallo	Al Shabab	£15.3m ($19.4m)	August, 2023
Fabinho	Al Ittihad	£35.9m ($45.6m)	August, 2023
Roger Ibanez	Al Ahli	£25.6m ($32.6m)	August, 2023
Franck Kessie	Al Ahli	£10.6m ($13.4m)	August, 2023
Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£24m ($30m)	August, 2023
Allan Saint-Maximin	Al Ahli	£23m ($29.3m)	July, 2023
Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	£30m ($38.6m)	July, 2023
Jordan Henderson	Al Ettifaq	£12m ($15.6m)	July, 2023
Malcom	Al Hilal	£51.5m ($66.9m)	July, 2023
Romain Saiss	Al Sadd	£2.2m ($2.8m)	July, 2023
Alex Telles	Al Nassr	Free	July, 2023
Seko Fofana	Al Nassr	£21.6m ($27.8m)	July, 2023
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic	Al Hilal	£34.2m ($44.6m)	July, 2023
Roberto Firmino	Al Ahli	Free	July, 2023
Marcelo Brozovic	Al Nassr	£15.4m ($19.6m)	July, 2023
Jota	Al Ittihad	£25m ($31.7m)	July, 2023
Edouard Mendy	Al Ahli	£16m ($20.2m)	June, 2023
Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	Free	June, 2023
N'Golo Kante	Al Ittihad	Free	June, 2023
Ruben Neves	Al Hilal	£47.1m ($60m)	June, 2023
Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£15.7m ($20m)	June, 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	Free	January, 2023
Anderson Talisca	Al Nassr	£6.9m ($8.8m)	July, 2021