Explosive suspicion surrounding Vinicius Junior and Real Madrid: "Nobody wants him"

On El Partidazo de Cope, Canizares criticised Vinicius's theatrics during Real's 2-1 win at Espanyol Barcelona in their LaLiga opener last weekend. The Real forward went down several times in the penalty area and unsuccessfully appealed for a penalty each time.

Using Vinicius's behaviour on the pitch to question his value to a team, Canizares said: "This summer there was a debate. He had one year left on his contract, do you sell him or not. What he gives you football-wise compared to what he takes away from you. Do you know what happened? Nobody wants him," speculated the 56-year-old, who made a total of 55 competitive appearances for Real in the 1990s and later became an icon at Valencia (1998 to 2008), suggesting that Vinicius simply lacked options for a potential departure from Madrid.

He went further: "Nobody wants a player like that at their club. And I don't think he had any offers at all," Canizares continued. "Real Madrid were forced and had to extend his contract because certainly no club got in touch with him or his agent, since nobody wants a player with these characteristics. Well, perhaps a smaller club … Newcastle," the 46-cap former Spain goalkeeper went on.

Did Arsenal tempt Vinicius Junior with a record offer?

Vinicius's contract extension, which had previously been due to expire in 2027, dragged on for a long time and regularly dominated the agenda in the Spanish capital over the past year and a half. Because Real allegedly did not want to meet the 26-year-old's exorbitant wage demands, negotiations are said to have stalled at times. In the end, however, the two sides still reached an agreement, and at the beginning of August Vinicius signed a long-term extension until 2032.

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Alongside the wealthy top clubs from Saudi Arabia, Arsenal are also said to have shown interest recently. According to media reports, the English champions would even have been prepared to make Vinicius the best-paid player in their club's history in order to lure him from Madrid to London. Otherwise, the rumour mill around Vinicius has been fairly quiet in recent months, although that is also because only a few clubs in the world would be in a financial position to sign the Brazil international.

After the latest uproar involving Vinicius in the match against Espanyol, Real's new coach Jose Mourinho made a demonstrative stand in support of his star player. "Vini is no saint, but what they do to him is too much," Mourinho stressed after the narrow away win on Saturday evening, and he was forthright about the treatment of Vinicius in opposing stadiums: "We are in a social era of anti-bullying. With Vini, we are still in the bullying phase - whether from the opposition, whether from the crowd. We have to educate him in the best possible way and prepare him for it in the best possible way."

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