La Liga icon urges Real Madrid to part ways with 25-year-old superstar: ‘If a good offer came in…’

La Liga icon urges Real Madrid to part ways with 25-year-old superstar: ‘If a good offer came in…’

Real Madrid’s turbulent end to the season has triggered strong reactions from across Spanish football, but few have been as direct as the comments from former La Liga icon Santiago Canizares.

The former Real Madrid and Valencia star has openly questioned the future of Vinicius Jr., suggesting that the club should seriously consider selling one of its biggest names as part of a wider rebuild.

Despite Vinicius being widely seen as a cornerstone of Real Madrid’s attack in recent years, Canizares believes the Brazilian has not lived up to expectations.

Speaking on Movistar (h/t SPORT), stated,

“In my view, for the past two years, he hasn’t been delivering the performance for Real Madrid that his contract and his status as a player demand.

“Furthermore, he has been involved in many controversial situations that do not reflect well on Real Madrid’s image, but to sell a player, the money has to be there first.”

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Canizares also pointed to a tactical issue, hinting that Vinicius may not be the perfect fit alongside Kylian Mbappe.

While acknowledging the difficulty of moving on a player of such a profile, he stressed that the club must be realistic about the market.

Drawing comparisons with other situations, he explained,

“It’s very easy to say, ‘I’m going to sell him. I’ll sell him if someone buys him.

“Because perhaps last year Madrid valued Rodrygo at 70–80 million euros, and no one came forward offering even half that.