Real Madrid Transfer News Roundup: Al Ahli offer €350m for Vinicius, Manchester United eyeing LaLiga ace, and more - January 23, 2025
Real Madrid secured a 5-1 win over Red Bull Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, January 22, at the Santiago Bernabeu. Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo scored two goals each, while Kylian Mbappe also got on the score sheet for Los Blancos.
Meanwhile, Al Ahli are ready to break the bank for Vinicius Junior. Elsewhere, Manchester United have set their sights on a Moroccan midfielder.
On that note, let's look at the major Real Madrid transfer stories from January 23, 2025.
Al Ahli offer €350m for Vinicius
Al Ahli are preparing to offer a world-record €350 million bid for Vinicius Junior, according to journalist Ben Jacobs. The Brazilian forward is a long-term target for clubs in the Middle East.
Vinicius has been in red-hot form for Real Madrid in the past few seasons and won FIFA's The Best Men's Player of the Year Award last December. He was heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia last summer, following Kylian Mbappe's arrival.
However, the 24-year-old opted to stay with Los Blancos and remains one of their key players at the moment. Vinicius Junior has registered 16 goals and 10 assists from 26 games across competitions this season.
Saudi Arabia haven't lost sight of the Brazilian and are now planning to submit an offer that could tempt Real Madrid. Al Ahli have been chosen as the ideal destination for Vinicius, given that Al-Nassr, Al Hilal, and Al Ittihad already have Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema respectively.
Interestingly, Vinicius has a €1 billion release clause in his contract. However, Saudi Arabia have no desire to trigger that option.
Manchester United eyeing Brahim Diaz
Manchester United have set their sights on Brahim Diaz, according to Fichajes.net. The Morocco international is not a guaranteed starter at Real Madrid and the Red Devils believe they could prise him away.
Diaz has registered three goals and five assists from 24 games across competitions this season for Los Blancos. However, only 11 of them have been from the start.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are struggling to get results this season and want to add more creativity to their ranks this month. Diaz's versatility makes him an interesting choice for Ruben Amorim as he can play on the wings or as a No. 10.
The 25-year-old could even be an upgrade on Alejandro Garnacho, who remains linked with an exit in January. Brahim Diaz's contract with Real Madrid runs until 2027, so he could be allowed to leave for a proper fee.
Jesus Vallejo rejects move away from Real Madrid
Jesus Vallejo has turned down a move to Turkey, according to journalist Jorge C Picon. The Spanish defender is a forgotten man at Real Madrid and has registered just 10 minutes of first-team action off the bench this season.
Even though Los Blancos have been crippled with injury issues at the back, Vallejo hasn't been called upon. It is clear that the player is not trusted by Carlo Ancelotti, who has even deployed youngster Raul Asencio ahead of him.
The LaLiga giants are now eager to offload the 28-year-old, whose contract expires in six months. However, Vallejo has turned down advances from clubs in Turkey, as he wants to see out the rest of his contract.
