Saudi Arabia wants to acquire Real Madrid star for over $1 billion

Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has been offered a lucrative deal worth over $1 billion to join Saudi Arabia, Reuters and ESPN report.Citing anonymous sources, Reuters reported that Vinicius was contacted by Saudi officials and offered a five-year contract worth around $218 million per season, plus bonuses for joining the Saudi Professional League (SPL).According to Reuters and ESPN, the deal also includes a separate 10-year contract for him to serve as an ambassador ahead of the 2034 World Cup, which is set to be held in Saudi Arabia.Vinicius has not yet ruled out the possibility of leaving the Spanish capital and is studying the offer with his team.Vinicius, 24, joined Los Blancos from Brazilian club Flamengo in 2018 and has been one of the club’s standout players in recent years.He scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 appearances last season as Real won the UEFA Champions League.A potential move to Saudi Arabia would see Vinicius, one of the favorites to win the Ballon d’Or, become arguably the most prominent footballer in the country.Some other global football superstars including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema currently play in the SPL, but Vinicius would be making the move at a younger age with the best years of his career still ahead of him.Last year, French striker Kylian Mbappe reportedly rejected a $775-million offer from the Saudis to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.