Previous Real Madrid Employee Reveals Vinícius Júnior's Value and Criticizes Team Strategy Planning
Previous Real Madrid Employee Reveals Vinícius Júnior's Value and Criticizes Team Strategy Planning
A previous Real Madrid scout shared his perspective on what he thinks could be the asking price for Vinicius Jr. from President Florentino Perez, along with his criticisms about the team's strategy in 2024/2025, during an interview with SPORT.
With 20 years of experience at the Spanish capital club, Manolo Romero served as their eyes in Catalonia. His scouting efforts led to the discovery of talents such as Kiko Casilla, Ruben Yanez, and Mariano Diaz, despite the region being known as the domain of bitter rivals, FC Barcelona, and Espanyol to a lesser extent.
During a conversation with SPORT, Romero was brought up to speed about the transfer rumors surrounding Vinicius Jr. last year, with El Chiringuito reporting that Real Madrid received a staggering $520 million (€500 million) bid for the Brazilian who had recently been awarded FIFA's 'The Best'.
Although the veracity of this news remains a mystery, Romero asserted that he believed Vinicius would depart Madrid.
"If the offer exceeds €300 million, I'm certain that Florentino sells him, and he might even chauffeur him to the airport in his own car. To put it plainly, €300 million is a considerable sum. I have a feeling that Florentino's darling is Kylian Mbappé. He's been pursuing him for seven years," Romero forecasted.
On the subject of Real Madrid's planning for the 2024/2025 season, Romero was unsparing in his criticism, labeling it as "poor" and the club's "biggest mistake" by failing to adequately prepare for the post-Toni Kroos era or address the defense, where key players like Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal have suffered severe injuries.
"It hasn't been reinforced in the areas it should have been reinforced. There are numerous issues," Romero stated.
"I think that everything hinges on the immense financial burden posed by the construction of the Bernabeu Stadium, because otherwise, it's hard to understand why Madrid has one less central defender than last year," Romero explained.
"Last year went well. But let's not forget that it was Toni Kroos who really shone, and Modric was a year younger. Now he's a year older. That's where Madrid's problems start," Romero concluded.
Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal have been key players for Real Madrid, but they have suffered severe injuries, which highlights the need for better preparation for the defense in the upcoming 2024/2025 season. Some analysts believe that Real Madrid could use the funds from a potential Vinicius Jr. sale to strengthen other areas of the team, as Carlo Ancelotti has mentioned his interest in signing Kylian Mbappe. Toni Kroos had a standout performance last season, but his age could pose a challenge for Real Madrid in the coming season.