Real Madrid are reportedly willing to sell their star attacker Vinicius Junior if they are able to secure the signing of Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe in the current transfer window.
Despite extending his contract with PSG in 2022, Mbappe has remained a top priority signing for Los Blancos and has been strongly linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu this year.
The French international is now able to discuss his future with other clubs, having entered the final six months of his current contract with the Ligue 1 champions.
According to Sport, if a deal for the French World Cup winner can be completed this month, Vinicius Jr could be the player who finds himself on the chopping block in order to make room for the new arrival.
The report adds that Real Madrid's club president Florentino Perez does not believe that the Brazilian has the profile to be the club's key man but does see Mbappe as a player who can fulfil that role.
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It is further understood that Perez regards Mbappe as a true global superstar and sees the acquisitions of French compatriots Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni in recent years, along with Jude Bellingham, as 'perfect complements' to the PSG attacker.
However, Vinicius, who penned a new deal with Los Merengues in October, does not seem too concerned by the possible arrival of the French superstar.
In an interview with France Football via Get Football, the Brazilian said: "Everyone here wants to play with Kylian. I hope it happens one day.
"He is one of the best players, maybe the best."
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In addition, Vinicius had previously suggested that he would only consider leaving the Bernabeu to return to his former club, Flamengo.
"I think I could stay here my whole career, but the club of my life is Flamengo. I promised my father I would go back one day. I have to keep this promise," he told France Football in an interview last year.
Vinicius left Flamengo at the age of 18 to make the move to Real Madrid for a fee in the region of £40m back in 2018.
Since then, the 23-year-old attacker has become a favourite at Madrid, contributing 69 goals and 68 assists in 243 appearances for the La Liga giants.
The Brazil international also scored the winning goal in the 2021-22 Champions League final against Liverpool and has already notched up 10 goals in all competitions for Madrid this season.
Devesh Jaganath
