Saudi Jackpot on Vinicius Could Push Madrid to Land Haaland
30 October 2025
Haaland's Future Under Spotlight
Speculation continues over Norwegian striker Erling Haaland's future at Manchester City, with talk of a possible departure at the end of the season as Real Madrid reportedly steps up its interest.
Former Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness told AS that Haaland could leave this season.
There is also much chatter about Vinicius Junior potentially leaving Real Madrid for the Saudi league, and a 200 million euro bid for the Brazilian could push Madrid to make a formal move for Haaland.
Real Madrid has tracked Haaland closely since his 2022 move from Borussia Dortmund, and while he has thrived in England, a move to Madrid remains on the radar depending on relationships and the right offer.
Haaland's deal with City runs to 2027, but the club reportedly extended his contract in January 2024 to 2034, with talk of a clause allowing a move abroad for a very heavy fee.
If true, that clause would give Madrid a bargaining lever, especially if they could take Vinicius to Saudi investors for the high price reported.
City sees Haaland as a foundation of Pep Guardiola's project, and will not part with him easily.
Spanish reports claim a Saudi bid of 200 million euros for Vinicius Junior could come in the near future, a sum that could fund Madrid's bid for Haaland in 2026.
Madrid's closeness to Haaland's market value is underlined by ongoing interest, with the possibility of pairing him with Mbappe in the club's long-term plans.
Meanwhile, PSG is also rumored to be watching the market, especially after Mbappe's move to Madrid in 2024, and could complicate Madrid's pursuit of a top striker.
A Vinicius crisis? There are no official confirmations, but signals point to a hot summer in European transfer markets. If the Saudi offer for Vinicius materializes, Madrid could formalize its interest in Haaland.
Additionally, tension between Vinicius and coach Xabi Alonso has been reported after the Clasico, with the Brazilian apparently forced to publicly apologize for his outburst when substituted.
There were reports that he strongly objected to being taken off in the Clasico, even hinting at a potential departure due to repeated substitutions.
Punchline 1: If transfers were desserts, this saga would be a 200-million-euro éclair—decadent, controversial, and possibly a little too sweet for comfort.
Punchline 2: And if Madrid signs Haaland, they’ll finally have a striker who can pronounce 'transfer window' in Norwegian.
