Reports: PSG reignite their interest in Real Madrid wonderkid Vinicius Jr
French champions Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly reignited their interest in signing Real Madrid wonderkid Vinicius Jr. PSG were said to be in for the Brazilian last summer, but Real Madrid's intention to keep hold of Vinicius proved to be a significant stumbling block.
Reports of PSG's interest in the 20-year-old have resurfaced ahead of the 2019/20 transfer window. Real Madrid, on the other hand, have always viewed French star Kylian Mbappe as a priority target.
Vinicius has a contract with Real Madrid until 2025 with a staggering €700m release clause, while Mbappe is tied to PSG until the summer of 2022.
PSG look to lure Vinicius away from Real Madrid
Respected Spanish journalist Eduardo Inda revealed on El Chiringuito that PSG are still keen on signing Vinicius from Real Madrid. Inda believes that the French giants will do everything in their power to sign him, including attempting to use Neymar — who is close friends with Vinicius — to convince him.
PSG previously demanded Vinicius' inclusion in any deal for Real Madrid target Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman, out of contract in 2022, has already refused several contract extensions offered by PSG.
He is rumoured to be running down his deal to walk away from the Parc des Princes on a free. He is said to have been tracked by Real Madrid for years, even before his €180m move from AS Monaco. PSG are desperate for Mbappe to stay with the Ligue 1 champions, but those hopes appear to be fading away with each passing transfer window.
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The French champions reportedly hope for Vinicius to fill the void left behind by Edinson Cavani. Additionally, wide man Angel Di Maria is also rumoured to be on his way out of France in the near future. A move to his boyhood club Rosario Central in Argentina is on the cards for Di Maria, who was purchased by PSG from Manchester United in 2015.
Real Madrid shelled out a whopping €45m on then-Flamengo teenager Vinicius after his spectacular performances in Brazil. He falls directly in line with Los Blancos' renewed approach of purchasing young players in the transfer market.
Since his move as an 18-year-old from Brazil, Vinicius has improved remarkably at the Santiago Bernabeu, although his numbers might suggest otherwise. The lightning-quick winger is one of the most adept dribblers in the Real Madrid squad and is capable of tormenting opposition defences.
Vinicius scored just three LaLiga goals this season in 12 starts, but one of those came in the most compelling circumstances. Vinicius scored an all-important goal against Barcelona in the El Clasico that gave Real Madrid a head-to-head advantage over their rivals.
He has shown great promise at the Santiago Bernabeu, and it will be interesting to see if PSG can tempt the Brazilian to move away from the Spanish capital.
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