Liverpool could have been handed an opportunity to land reported target Vinicius Junior as the Real Madrid forward looks set to be allowed to leave the Bernabeu this summer, according to AS.
In January, the Reds were touted as holding a major interest in the Brazilian striker alongside Premier League rivals Arsenal as well as Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.
The report from AS claimed that the 20-year-old has become a ‘negative protagonist’ of late for Zinedine Zidane’s side, and the hierarchy at the Santiago Bernabeu see the winger’s potential sale as a way of raising funds for their own summer spending.
Real Madrid’s potential spending could well have a direct impact on Liverpool, with the two European behemoths doing battle for the much-coveted signature of Kylian Mbappe from PSG.
Vinicius, who was described as ‘extraordinary’ by his international manager Tite and dubbed the ‘world’s best youngster’ by Dani Alves, has just four goal contributions in 17 La Liga matches this season.
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Any potential move from Liverpool for the talented Brazilian could come down to a domino effect, with Mbappe’s future the main protagonist of the fall. Should Los Blancos win the race for the French superstar, the Reds may move for Vinicius as an alternative.
What seems less likely is Jurgen Klopp part-funding Real Madrid’s Mbappe pursuit by signing any of their stars in the interim.
Despite his struggles in the Spanish capital and one particularly high-profile incident involving criticism from Karim Benzema, Vinicius is a frighteningly promising talent who would make a remarkable understudy to Sadio Mane for the left-wing berth at Anfield.
