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Vinicius Jr Reveals Dominik Szoboszlai Contact to Stoke Flames of Real Madrid Fire

The Liverpool star has been heavily linked with Real Madrid in recent days.
Vinicius Junior (left) has spoken about his relationship with Dominik Szoboszlai.
Vinicius Junior (left) has spoken about his relationship with Dominik Szoboszlai. | Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Getty Images

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior mischievously revealed that he speaks “a lot” with Dominik Szoboszlai just as rumours linking the Liverpool superstar with the Spanish giants have surfaced.

While in discussion with Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos, Vinicius Jr was asked for his best friends in football outside Real Madrid. Liverpool’s No. 8 was the first name which came to mind. “I talk a lot with Szoboszlai,” the Brazilian claimed. “We met when we were younger.”

Vinicius Jr also joked that Szoboszlai was one of several players to reach out to him in the hope of wearing the Madrid forward’s personal line of Nike boots.

Szoboszlai has routinely interacted with Vinicius Jr publicly on social media, lauding, among other things, his admirable stance against discrimination in La Liga. Earlier this season, Liverpool’s talisman mimicked Vinicius Jr’s signature goal celebration.

While lighthearted in nature, these comments came at an intriguing time.


‘Agent Vinicius’ Laying the Groundwork

Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Junior likes to get involved in Real Madrid recruitment. | Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Szoboszlai has attracted links to Real Madrid throughout the season, with his unresolved Liverpool contract giving room for the rumours to grow. On the same weekend that Vinicius Jr’s interview dropped, the Hungarian midfielder’s international coach, Marco Rossi, claimed that Szoboszlai’s “one dream” in football has always been to play for Real Madrid.

Vinicius Jr is in a perfect position to take advantage of these spurious whispers. In the same interview, Real Madrid’s No. 7 revealed that he reached out to both Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé before the pair signed for Real Madrid, jokingly claiming that he has “acted as [their] agent.” Szoboszlai is clearly one name already in his little black book but he’s not alone.

“Paquetá is my best friend in football,” Vinicius Jr revealed. “Raphinha in Barcelona, Savinho, and Reinier in Brazil, who’s played here too. We Brazilians are almost always together off the field, but from other teams who aren’t Brazilian, Reece James—I’m very good friends with him. Rafael Leão, I have quite a few friends outside.”


How Would Dominik Szoboszlai Fit in at Real Madrid?

The finances involved in a potential deal for Szoboszlai make his transfer seem unlikely. Despite the lack of progress on negotiations, the 25-year-old is still under contract until 2028 and has been billed by his manager and teammates as one of the best in the world.

Yet, the prospect of Szoboszlai lining up in white is intriguing nonetheless.

The buccaneering all-rounder doesn’t offer the composure in possession which Real Madrid have been so chronically lacking since Toni Kroos retired but would represent an upgrade on the club’s current No. 8. When in form, Federico Valverde can match Szoboszlai’s immense physicality, seemingly shrinking the pitch with his ability to hare across every blade of grass.

Unfortunately for Madrid, Valverde has rarely been in form this season. Saturday’s 4–1 victory over Real Sociedad saw the Uruguay international put in his best performance of the campaign, yet that outing stood out considering the underwhelming showings which have chiefly defined a testing individual campaign.

The pressure of being Madrid’s most common on-pitch captain has clearly taken its toll. “We’ve had weeks where we’ve swallowed a lot of s---,” Valverde admitted this weekend. “If I tell you it [the season] was incredible, I’d be lying to you in the end.”

Liverpool have endured an even more testing season—unlike the crisis-riddled Real Madrid, they are not top of their domestic league—and Szoboszlai has shone brighter than anyone else on Merseyside if not beyond. Whether his talents will be required alongside Vinicius Jr in Madrid is another point of consideration.


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Grey Whitebloom
GREY WHITEBLOOM

Grey Whitebloom is a writer, reporter and editor for Sports Illustrated FC. Born and raised in London, he is an avid follower of German, Italian and Spanish top flight football.