A move for Vinícius Júnior to the Saudi Pro League is now increasingly unlikely, sources have told ESPN, with no fresh contact between the forward and the Saudi Pro League, and talks having begun with Real Madrid over a new deal.
The player's representatives were first contacted by the Saudis last year, with Vinícius postponing any decision on his future -- with his Madrid contract due to expire in 2027 -- until this summer.
However, sources have told ESPN that since December 2024, there has been no further contact with the Saudis.
The previous point of contact between the Saudi Pro League and Vinícius' camp was Saad Al Lazeez, the league's vice-chairman, sources said. But Al Lazeez resigned from his role at the SPL in March this year.
Meanwhile, Madrid approached Vinícius' representatives in February to begin negotiations over a renewal. The club presented a proposal which sources described as being close to the player's current salary, which is now €17 million ($18.6m) a year after tax, including the bonus he received for winning FIFA's 2025 The Best Men's Player awards.
Vinícius' camp then presented the club with their own proposal, which sources said was significantly different to the club's initial offer.
Madrid are yet to respond with a counter-offer, sources said, and the impression given was that the club were waiting to assess performance on the pitch this season, with the team still competing for three major trophies in LaLiga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, as well as this summer's Club World Cup.
Sources told ESPN that the player's representatives are not concerned, and are in no hurry to agree a new deal. Madrid's initial approach over a renewal came earlier than the club's standard practice of beginning contract talks with stars two years before their deals expire.
"I'm very relaxed, because I have a contract until 2027, and I hope we can renew my contract as soon as possible, because I'm happy here," Vinícius said in a news conference last month.
Vinícius had a penalty saved in Madrid's 2-1 home defeat to Valencia in LaLiga on Saturday.
The team travelled to London on Monday, ahead of their Champions League quarterfinal first leg with Arsenal.