Real Madrid face an important decision regarding the future of Vinicius Junior.
The Brazilian forward will enter the final year of his contract next week, leaving the club eager to resolve the situation as soon as possible.
Club president Florentino Perez is keen to avoid a prolonged contract saga. As a result, Real Madrid have already started assessing potential alternatives should they fail to secure Vinicius’ long-term future.
The Spanish giants are also expected to remain active in the transfer market after the World Cup.
Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise continues to attract interest from the Santiago Bernabeu hierarchy as Jose Mourinho plans for the future.
However, Real Madrid could target a much bigger name if Vinicius eventually leaves the club.
According to SPORT, Florentino Perez has identified Manchester City striker Erling Haaland as a potential replacement for Vinicius Junior.
Haaland has enjoyed a superb World Cup campaign with Norway, scoring four goals in his first two matches of the tournament.
The 25-year-old remains one of the most sought-after players in world football. However, any move would be extremely complicated.
Haaland signed a long-term contract with Manchester City until 2034. Also, the report states that any club hoping to sign him would likely need to pay more than €200 million.
Manchester City do not have any intention to sell their star striker. The club continue to view Haaland as a central part of their long-term plans.
The report also states that Haaland has given no indication that he wants to leave the Etihad Stadium.
For now, Vinicius remains a Real Madrid player and there is no suggestion that he is actively pushing for an exit.
However, with his contract situation still unresolved, the Spanish giants are making contingency plans.
If Vinicius does leave, Real Madrid appear to have already identified one of the biggest names in world football as their dream replacement.
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