Vinícius Júnior made just a substitute appearance in Real Madrid's disastrous 2-2 draw with Elche last weekend. The fallout of that match has led to more speculation as to Vinícius' future at Los Blancos.
It has been reported that he will not sign a new contract if Xabi Alonso is to stay at the club. With his contract set to expire in 2027, it remains to be seen if he or his current manager will remain at the Bernabéu the longest.
It is often a problem at Real Madrid that they have too many star individuals who do not work well together as a team. This stretches back to the Galácticos era of the early 2000s. Los Blancos may have to part ways with Vinícius, and here are three possible destinations.
Three potential landing spots for Vini Jr
Al-Hilal
The Saudi Pro League is one of the only divisions in the world that could be able to afford to buy Vinícius and pay his wages. He has been linked with Al-Hilal in the past, who could table a world record offer.
Al-Hilal will also be looking to add another star Brazilian after Neymar departed the club earlier this year. Neymar was a disaster at the club due to injuries, so the Saudi Pro League side will be hoping to get more game time out of Vinícius.
It could be a move that Vinícius is reluctant to do, though. He is only 25 and should be in the prime of his career. Therefore, departing from European soccer at his age would be way too early.
Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain has the funds to buy and pay for a player such as Vinícius. It has also been revealed that this could be one of the Brazilian's preferred destinations. This is no surprise as they are the current Champions League holders.
However, PSG's recent success has been built on a change in philosophy. They no longer target star names such as Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe, but rely on more homegrown talent.
This is not to say that they still do not spend money. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was signed from Napoli for £59 million last January. He has been a key player for PSG, and also favors the same left-wing position as Vinícius. Therefore, it could cause an imbalance in Luis Enrique's roster.
Manchester United
Manchester United still likes to regard itself as one of the biggest clubs in the world alongside Real Madrid. This is despite the club consistently underperforming in a post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. However, they have signed big names from Real Madrid in the past, such as Angel Di Maria and Casemiro.
Neither Di Maria nor Casemiro managed to recreate their form for Real Madrid at United. However, signing Vinícius would be a statement from the Red Devils that they are trying to return to where they believe they belong.
Vinícius may feel that he is above United, given that he was a Ballon d'Or contender last year. The best team in the Premier League right now is Arsenal. However, Mikel Arteta has been keen to move on the big names that he inherited, such as Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He would therefore be reluctant to sign another big ego to his well-balanced roster.
Chelsea has been willing to spend a lot on their roster in recent years. However, they already have a bloated squad and are well-stacked at left-wing with Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens, two names they have in that position. Liverpool spent big last summer, but has since underperformed. Therefore, the Reds cannot afford to keep spending money, as it seems to have ruined their title-winning side.