Al Hilal CEO Esteve Calzada has said the club can consider any player, including Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior.
He, however, dismissed rumours of direct communication between the Saudi Arabian club and Vinicius Jr, chalking them off as negotiation tactics.
Real Madrid and Al Hilal will face each other in their FIFA Club World Cup opener on June 18.
Al Hilal Linked With Blockbuster Move for Vinicius Junior
Real Madrid No. 7, Vinicius Jr, is one of the most sought-after players in world football. He has been with the Spanish side since 2018, winning every collective trophy there is. Los Blancos consider Vinicius Jr an integral part of their future and have reportedly been trying to extend his current contract beyond June 2027.
Vinicius Jr is expected to continue at Real Madrid for the foreseeable future. However, that has not stopped the rumour mill from whipping up transfer stories.
🚨 Vinícius Jr. completes the MOST progressive carries per 90 (7.04) amongst all LaLiga wingers. @DataMB_
No. 1️⃣. pic.twitter.com/Nyb7OAP4q1
— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) June 17, 2025
In May, it was reported that Al Hilal were preparing a €300 million (£255.6 million) bid for Vinicius. There were also talks of a massive €800 million (£681.6 million) package set aside for the Brazilian, which would include his transfer fee, salary, and bonuses. Al Hilal had reportedly presented this jaw-dropping proposal to Vinicius’ entourage.
Vinicius’ compatriot, Neymar, was Al Hilal’s last marquee signing. That move proved to be rather costly for Al Hilal, as the injury-prone Brazilian earned millions without making any impact. The former Barcelona star made a whopping €150 million in 2024 despite playing two matches for the club.
Al Hilal CEO Rubbishes Vinicius Jr Rumours Ahead of Club World Cup Meeting with Real Madrid
Appearing on Cadena SER’s El Larguero, Al Hilal CEO Esteve Calzada discussed the links with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior.
Calzada bluntly dismissed the rumours, saying:
“Everything written about this game is filled with lies. It reminds me of my early days at City, where people would say a player had offers from us or PSG, but it was all agent talk.
“In the case of Vinicius, there has been no contact with us directly. The La Liga CEO did mention talks in an interview, but I don’t know anything more. Agents often use these rumours to push new contracts or transfers.”
❗️Esteve Calzada (Al Hilal CEO): "Vinicius? The Saudi league can consider signing any player. We know that we have weapons to convince anyone, not just money…" pic.twitter.com/t5wF0c61qf
— Madrid Universal (@MadridUniversal) June 16, 2025
Although Al Hilal had not attempted to sign Vinicius Junior, Calzada reminded that the club could afford to consider any player. He said, Cristiano Ronaldo’s switch to Al Nassr in January 2023 showed that any player could move to Saudi Arabia.
“The moment we’re in allows us to consider any player, and I wouldn’t be surprised by any player coming here, including Vinicius,” he added.
“When we want a player, we don’t think about whether he wants to come or not. We go all in because we believe in the project, not just the money. Cristiano Ronaldo’s coming surprised many, but nothing should surprise us now.”
Al Hilal recently tried to sign Darwin Nunez after missing out on Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen. The Uruguayan is likely to snub the Saudi giants, with a move to Napoli seeming more likely.
