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Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has disclosed that Vinicius Junior was in the preliminary stages of joining the Catalan club before Real Madrid stepped in to secure his signature.
The Brazilian star famously signed his contract at just 16 years old to make the move to the 15-time European champions from Flamengo. Upon turning of age in July 2018, Vinicius Jr relocated to the Spanish capital, and the rest is well-documented history.
With two Champions League titles, three La Liga crowns and 127 goals to his name, the winger stands among the elite players globally and continues to be the defining figure at Real Madrid—even following Kylian Mbappé's arrival from Paris Saint-Germain ahead of the 2024–25 campaign.
Yet there existed an alternate scenario in which Vinicius Jr could have worn the Blaugrana colors rather than the famous white kit.
How Real Madrid Swayed Vinicius Jr From Barcelona
It comes as little surprise that Barcelona had their eye on Vinicius Jr, whose exceptional ability was evident even at 16. However, many may be caught off guard by just how advanced the negotiations became between the Brazilian international and the Catalan club.
"Vinicius was on our radar, we held discussions with his family and his representatives, and there was indeed a preliminary agreement in place," said Bartomeu, who served as Barcelona's president from 2014 to 2020, in an interview with ESPN Deportes.
"Madrid likely put forward a stronger offer than Barça and ultimately secured Vinicius."
Vinicius Jr eventually agreed to a €46 million ($54.3 million at current rates) deal with Los Blancos, though he had previously revealed in a 2019 interview with Cadena SER that Barcelona had actually offered more money. Ultimately, conversations with Marcelo and Casemiro played a decisive role in persuading the young player to choose Real Madrid.
Bartomeu: Barcelona Also Had a Shot at Kylian Mbappé
Barcelona not only missed out on Vinicius Jr, but they were also unable to land Kylian Mbappé ahead of Paris Saint-Germain.
"Monaco was demanding very substantial fees that Barça were capable of meeting at the time. We were the highest-earning club in the world, with the strongest financial ratios. The truth is we were in a very, very healthy financial position," Bartomeu explained.
"I recall having a couple of conversations with Mbappé's father, but Paris Saint-Germain applied considerable pressure on Monaco, and I believe Mbappé also had a preference for PSG, being a French club."
PSG ultimately paid €180 million to complete the permanent signing of Mbappé in February 2018.
While securing either Vinicius Jr or Mbappé would undoubtedly have altered Barcelona's path, the club may ultimately view things favorably in hindsight, given that they now boast one of Europe's most formidable attacking units, spearheaded by Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.