It has recently been revealed that Vinicius Junior will not renew his Real Madrid contract whilst Xabi Alonso remains in charge of the side. His deal is set to expire in 2027, and he has been linked with world-record moves to the Saudi Pro League.
It is way too early for Vinicius to leave European soccer, as he is only 25. If he does leave Real Madrid, they will be losing a fantastic player, albeit one with a big ego who did not turn up to the Ballon d'Or ceremony last year after it was reported that Rodri was going to win the award.
Real Madrid already has great options on the wing with Rodrygo, Franco Mastantuono, and Brahim Diaz. However, they all favor playing on the right, when Vinicius prefers to play on the left. Los Blancos would move swiftly to replace Vinicius should he depart, and here are three potential options for Xabi Alonso's side.
3 logical Vinicius Junior replacements Real Madrid could pursue
Anthony Gordon
Anthony Gordon has been a star player for Newcastle United in the Champions League this season. In five games, he has scored four goals and made one assist. This includes him finding the back of the net against Real Madrid's bitter rivals, Barcelona, in matchday one.
He is yet to get off the mark in the Premier League, as he has no goal involvements in seven appearances. However, his versatility of being able to play on either flank as well as centrally could make him a great option for Alonso.
Real Madrid have been keen to have England internationals in their squads in the past. In the 2000s, they had David Beckham, Michael Owen, and Jonathan Woodgate all playing together. Los Blancos currently have Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold, so another trio of English players could be gracing the turf at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid likes to have players who are marketable, so having more English speakers will help the club's global appeal.
Newcastle would be reluctant to let one of their star players move. Since they were taken over by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, the club has ambitions to be the best in the world. Last summer, the Magpies were involved in a standoff with Liverpool over Alexander Isak's transfer.
The club managed by Eddie Howe eventually let Isak go on deadline day for a reported £125 million fee. Gordon is contracted to Newcastle until 2030, so it would take an astronomical fee for Real Madrid to prize him away from St James' Park.
Nico Williams
Nico Williams has been linked with a move to Barcelona recently. Therefore, Real Madrid would love to sign the Athletic Bilbao player from under the noses of their rivals.
Williams is only 23, but already very experienced in La Liga. However, in this campaign, he has scored just twice and made two assists in nine games for Bilbao. Also, he is yet to have a goal involvement in the Champions League.
His current club is eighth in Spanish soccer's top flight, so he is very unlikely to challenge for the title with them anytime soon. At Real Madrid, Williams would be almost guaranteed trophies every season.
Like Gordon, Williams is also tied down to his club for the long term. Williams' deal runs until 2035. Therefore, Williams would not come cheaply. The best players in the world will all likely have been rewarded with great deals, so getting them out of their clubs will be difficult.
Rafael Leao
Many of Real Madrid's greatest ever players came from Serie A. The likes of Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo joined the club from Juventus and Inter Milan, respectively.
Rafael Leao is regarded as one of the best left-wingers in European soccer. However, he is starting to be eclipsed by Christian Pulisic at AC Milan. He has still scored four goals with one assist in eight Serie A matches this season. Leao has also found the back of the net three times, with one assist in the Champions League.
Unlike Gordon and Williams, Leao does not have a long-term contract at his club. His deal with Milan only runs until 2028. Therefore, the Portugal international could be Real Madrid's most realistic option to replace Vinicius.