Saudi Arabia club confirm interest in Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior
- Vinicius of interest to Saudi Arabian officials during summer
- Reports of €500m bid for Real Madrid star played down
- Al Ahli chief explains why offer did not materialise
By Tom Gott
A director of Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli has confirmed the club explored a deal to sign Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior this summer.
Saudi dealmakers earmarked Vinicius as an ambitious target for the summer transfer window but failed to convince the Brazil international to make the move. There were reports of a world-record €500m bid but 90min understands those have been rejected by Saudi officials.
Al Ahli lost Allan Saint-Maximin to Fenerbahce and director Khaled Al Issa confirmed they initially planned to make a move for Vinicius before an unexpected development saw them switch their focus to a striker, inking a deal to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford instead.
"The competent technical committee, which includes the technical director, decided to let Saint-Maximin leave because it was easier in terms of the sale process, and the amount of the deal could be borne by any other club," Al Issa told Kora Rotana.
"There was a desire to bring in a very big winger, Vinicius, from Real Madrid, but during the negotiations something unexpected happened, which was the Saudi players leaving to go professional in accordance with the scholarship program, and the striker Firas Al Buraikan was scheduled to leave.
"Our priority shifted from winger to striker based on the departure of Al Buraikan, and we entered into negotiations with Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen, and it ended with Toney's arrival."
No alternative winger was signed before the transfer window closed and Al Issa vowed to make a significant signing as soon as possible, although he stopped short of suggesting there could be another move for Vinicius.
"Firas Al Buraikan did not enter the scholarship program and therefore continued with us," Al Issa explained. "As a result, a void occurred in the wing position, and we will work to strengthen this position with a deal that exceeds the ambitions of Al Ahli fans during the winter period."
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