The 18-year-old attacking player has been gradually earning a place in Real Madrid manager Santiago Solari’s plans in recent weeks. Despite his young age, Viniсius Jᴜnior has been able to demonstrate his abilities to the demanding Bernabéu crowd. In the Champions League match against CSKA, despite the team’s overall performance, Viniсius was singled out as Real’s standout player on the day.

Viniсius is at the beginning of a journey towards global recognition and is regularly included in lists of the best young players in the world. While his on-pitch performances have garnered attention, little is known about Viniсius off the field, aside from his close bond with his family and his humble background in São Gonçalo, a place described by a family member as “extremely poor, with a lot of violence and very dangerous.”

At the age of five, Viniсius’ immense talent was recognized as he outshone kids his age. However, he had to wait until he was 10 to be admitted to Flаmengo’s academy, where he could nurture his skills away from the challenging day-to-day reality of São Gonçalo. Initially enrolled as a left back, Viniсius quickly demonstrated that he was better suited to playing further up the pitch, following in the footsteps of his idol Robinho. Robinho was a player whom every Brazilian growing up in the 1990s aspired to be, including the likes of Neymar and Philippe Coutinho.

As Viniсius settles into life in Madrid, he has come to value his image, just like many of his teammates. He humorously explains, “I cut my hair twice a week, so that I look handsome on television.” When asked if they go out together, he quickly dismisses the idea, saying, “No, no. Not at all. I’m in the prime of my life,” accompanied by a playful grin.

Vincius also expressed his interest in tattoos, but his father set a condition that he could only get one once he turned 18. He has been getting tattoos for each challenge he accomplishes, and he stated that his next one would be dedicated to the Champions League, but only if he scores in the competition.

Juventus purchased Vlahovic from Fiorentina in January 2022 for a reported fee of around €81 million. While he has had a decent goal-scoring record for the Turin-based club, he hasn’t lived up to the high expectations set for him.

It’s worth noting that Massimiliano Allegri’s system doesn’t suit a striker like Vlahovic. As a result, there have been rumors of a potential departure in the summer.

There have been speculations that Juventus might be willing to sell Vlahovic for approximately €100 million, which would be a significant amount for a young striker whose time in Turin hasn’t been as successful as fans had hoped.

Therefore, it’s unlikely to see him at Real Madrid anytime soon. Real Madrid needs to strengthen several positions on the pitch, and striker is one of them. Karim Benzema, who is currently 35 years old, has struggled with fitness issues and the club will eventually need to find a long-term successor to the Frenchman.

While Erling Haaland would be the dream signing, it won’t be an easy task to bring him to Santiago Bernabeu. As a result, the club must have alternative targets.

Dusan Vlahovic has been linked with Real Madrid for some time now. Despite not reaching the expected heights at Juventus, he remains one of the highly-rated strikers in Europe.

However, there seems to be bad news for Real Madrid if they indeed want to sign the 23-year-old. Reports suggest that Vlahovic would prefer a move to Arsenal as the next step in his career.