What now for Real Madrid? How Vinicius Jr can fill the Mbappé-shaped hole in the club’s plans

Los Blancos already have a star forward 

Kylian Mbappé broke the hearts of millions of Real Madrid fans on Saturday, when the France international confirmed that he had decided to stay put at Paris Saint-Germain over a move to Spain. The striker announced his intentions with a new contract with the Ligue 1 giants until the summer of 2025. 

While Mbappé’s decision to stay in Paris will be extremely important news for PSG, it’s also just as consequential to Madrid’s own plans for the foreseeable future. The Spanish giants had undoubtedly been banking on making the French striker the star of their newly rebuilt squad and to base all future plans around him leading the line for the club over the next four or five years. 

So what do Madrid do now after missing out on Mbappé? Erling Haaland has since decided to swap Borussia Dortmund for Manchester City, Juventus have already snapped up Dušan Vlahović and it seems as though Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski is intent on making a move to Barcelona. So who will lead the line for Los Blancos in the years to come? 

From strength to strength – Vinicius Jr’s rise at Madrid 

Fortunately for Carlo Ancelotti and his side, Madrid already have a ready-made star within their ranks who seems intent on proving himself as one of European football’s most gifted forwards. And he’s certainly gone to some great lengths this season to suggest that the Spanish giants have no real need for another forward. Even if they are as talented as Mbappé.

That player is, of course, none other than Vinicius Jr. Although the Brazilian forward took some time to find his stride at Madrid, after joining the club in 2018 for €45 million, the speedy goal scorer has undoubtedly matured this season and become the very player that the club had high hopes for just four years ago. And as a result he’s developed into one of European football’s most potent players. 

So far this season Vinicius Jr has bagged no less than 21 goals and 20 assists for Ancelotti’s side across all competitions. And while that may not match the dizzying heights of Mbappé’s return in France, it does include no less than three goals and seven assists in the Champions League. A competition that the Brazilian forward may end up playing a crucial role in winning, when his team takes to the pitch in the final. 

On that day the world will be watching as Madrid take on Liverpool to see which side will become the best team in Europe. But for Vinicius Jr it may prove to be another opportunity for him to not only display his clear talent, but also suggest that Madrid will be just fine without Mbappé, as he dazzles fans in the French striker’s own home town. 

Homepage