Vinícius Júnior almost joined Barcelona before Real Madrid swooped in, according to a shocking revelation from former Barça president Josep María Bartomeu. The Brazilian winger had a preliminary agreement in place with the Catalan giants while still playing for Flamengo. But how did Real Madrid snatch the superstar away?
The Catalan club came within inches of securing Vinícius Júnior before his eventual move to Spain’s capital. According to Bartomeu, Barcelona engaged directly with the winger’s representatives, including his family and agents. The club established what they believed was a solid agreement framework to bring the talented Brazilian to the Camp Nou. The groundwork had been done, the terms discussed, and everyone seemed aligned on the transfer details.
What made this negotiation particularly significant was Vinícius’s age and potential. At just 16 years old, the young talent was already generating serious interest from Europe’s elite clubs. Barcelona’s willingness to negotiate demonstrates how highly they valued his future prospects. The preliminary agreement suggested both parties were prepared to move forward with the transfer process.
It comes as no surprise that Barcelona were interested in Vinicius Jr, whose talent was apparent even at the age of 16. Yet many perhaps might be taken aback by how far negotiations got between the Brazil international and the Catalan outfit.
“Vinicius was of interest to the club, we spoke with his family, with his agents, and there was indeed an initial agreement,” Bartomeu, who was Barcelona president from 2014 to 2020, told ESPN Deportes.
“Madrid possibly made a better offer than Barça and took Vinicius.”
Vinicius Jr ultimately agreed a €46 million ($54.3 million at today’s rate) deal with Los Blancos, but he previously revealed Barcelona offered more money for him in an interview with Cadena SER back in 2019. In the end, talks with Marcelo and Casemiro helped convince the teenager to choose Real Madrid.
