Real Madrid pick Erling Haaland as Vini Jr replacement

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 27 Jul 2025 15:34 BST
• 4 min read

News

Real Madrid are ready to replace Vinicius Junior with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, according to reports in Spain.

Tension has been building at the Bernabeu around the Brazil international forward for months due to his contract demands. Vini Jr wants a deal to match Kylian Mbappe, but Real Madrid are resisting his requests.

In the meantime, he is being offered a contract worth €1 billion to join the Saudi Pro League.

Compared

Vinicius Junior

F (CL), M (L)

Real Madrid

Vinicius Junior

F (CL), M (L)

Real Madrid

VS

Erling Haaland

F (C)

Man City

Erling Haaland

F (C)

Man City

€101.1M	ETV	€184.2M
€91M - €111.2M	ETV Range	€165.8M - €202.6M
25 years old (12 Jul, 2000)	Age	25 years old (21 Jul, 2000)
Brazil	Nationality	Norway

Los Blancos believe this is a bluff on the part of the forward and are growing increasingly tired of the game Vini is perceived to be playing.

Madrid are increasingly willing to listen to offers for the 25-year-old and they have already selected Haaland as his replacement, according to Cadena Ser.

Real Madrid’s Haaland plan revealed

Should the arm wrestle with Vini Jr still be unresolved next summer, when he will have one year left on his Real Madrid contract, the Spanish club have resolved to sell him.

Man City's Haaland would then be targeted. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has long dreamed of teaming up with the Norway international, who would fill the centre-forward role at the Bernabeu and allowed Mbappe to move to his favoured position on the left.

Although Haaland is the most valuable player in the world, with an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €184m, Real Madrid believe that financing such a blockbuster move would not be a problem.

The Saudi Pro League is willing to break the bank to sign Vini Jr, with a transfer fee of €300m even rumoured. This would allow Los Blancos to reinvest that money in the 25-year-old City ace.

While Pep Guardiola’s side would be against selling Haaland, who signed a nine-year deal with the club last season, it has been claimed that he has a €200m release clause eligible to clubs outside the Premier League. This could be key to the striker ultimately moving to Real Madrid.

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