Vinícius Júnior

EdmondDantes said:

I said he was gonna be a flop and Rodrygo a superstar (one which we scouted first but decided to waste money on Malcom later on) but it seems I may be wrong. I'm now scared Rodrygo will be even better

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This seems somewhat of a consensus. Rodrygo seemed a better prospect, but Vini has impressed with maturity and complete lack of fear. Difficult to compare either of them and how their careers will pan out, but Vini right now is Hazard-lite, great at dribbling, absorbing attention, attacking spaces decisively.. not so great a finisher, but it's not a given he won't learn this, he has little else to work on as an attacker, just regularity and converting good play to actual meaningful assists and goals.

Vini's fate is tied to what happens this summer. If we do get Hazard, there is no room for him in a packed frontline. Rodrygo will arrive and either his fate will be the same, he will stay in Castilla and then join first team, or he will get loaned when the club deems him ready for it.

Cules will hate the comparison, but Figo is the most reasonable ceiling.

All in all - Vinicius is probably going on a 2-year loan somewhere this summer to learn to score regularly and pressure-free. I don't see him staying, unless Perez gets some stupid idea that Vini = Mbappe now that we know Asensio doesn't have these sorts of ambitions.

After so many new Iniestas and now new Figo, it's a matter of time until Madrid will be presenting the world the new Messi.

So Real Madrid's strategy of signing Brazilian young CF prospect might actually be working out?

We can copy.

Luftstalag14 said:

So Real Madrid's strategy of signing Brazilian young CF prospect might actually be working out?

We can copy.

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Well, you started it, we/Perez is copying you guys.
Perez wont rest until he finds the next Ney Ney.

Actually think Vinicius is better than people give him credit for. Not a natural finisher, but he can improve in that area with age as countless others did. His playmaking ability, on the other hand, is already elite. Add to this his outstanding physical tools and sky is the limit. He is probably the best attacking talent in his age bracket on par with Sancho.

te amo barca said:

Actually think Vinicius is better than people give him credit for. Not a natural finisher, but he han improve in that area with age as countless others did. His playmaking ability, on the other hand, is already elite. Add to this his outstanding physical tools and sky is the limit. He is probably the best attacking talent in his age bracket on par with Sancho.

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I would take whatever is happening in the Bundesliga with a pinch of salt. I feel the level of the competition dropped tremendously over the past 3 or 4 seasons.

Suddenly you're getting youngsters who have barely turned pro, who couldn't even make the bench at their parent clubs just destroying that league like Lookman and Sancho. Lookman for instance, now that's he's back in the Premier League looks just about OK for a squad player at Everton.


Then there's the likes of Keita who looked superhuman in the Bundesliga and now he's a flop in the Premier League - although I do think he can eventually turn it around. Paco, didn't make the bench here whereas in Germany he's a superstar. Batshuayi, goals gallore in Germany, absolute unwanted donkey everywhere else.


I think the Bundesliga now is paradise for youngsters looking to cut their teeth but it's ultimately no parameter to gauge the true level of players anymore.

DonAK said:

I know we like to shit on Neymar, but he's a generational talent and Vinicius just isn't that. Neymar just isn't dedicated and serious enough which would be a pity if he still was at Barca, but not our problem now. But Vinicius is def not going to reach Neymar's heights even if it never lasts too long.

Vinicius to me is a James Rodriguez level talent, that's his ceiling, which isn't bad as James when in groove is absolutely World Class.

If we're being completely honest then none of the young prodigies right now outside of arguably Mbappe is that. Vinicius is good though. RM won't regret paying 40m for him, already paying off as he's showing he definitely got the talent to be a regular starter and contributor for them if not now then surely in the future.

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Ughh, I am not sure it is fair to compare anyone to Neymar's dribbling skills. Neymar is unreal, even his passing is incredible. He is hidden away in PSG but whenever I do catch a game, I shake my head at his stupidity. The fact that he plays for a close contact duel takes away from what he is able to do in terms of damage, because he buys fouls.

However, this is where Vini can exceed Neymar. He can be a smarter player than Neymar and although not as technically gifted, he can have more of an impact than Neymar. His attitude is already way better.

Kid looks good and seems to me that he is aware he has to work hard and be patient. Has several qualities that make him a top dribbler. Worst thing for him would be a galactico signing on his position. Like a Neymar or a Hazard.

Raed said:

Ughh, I am not sure it is fair to compare anyone to Neymar's dribbling skills. Neymar is unreal, even his passing is incredible. He is hidden away in PSG but whenever I do catch a game, I shake my head at his stupidity. The fact that he plays for a close contact duel takes away from what he is able to do in terms of damage, because he buys fouls.

However, this is where Vini can exceed Neymar. He can be a smarter player than Neymar and although not as technically gifted, he can have more of an impact than Neymar. His attitude is already way better.

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Neymar had a considerable impact on Barca's success his last 2-3 seasons here, although obviously also had flaws which weren't hidden to anyone.

I guess it depends. He has to keep his attitude in check and not get complacent when he'll eventually get the superstar treatment from the press and the club itself, that's the danger with these wonderkids. Most of them might start off like humble prodigies, but then fall off when all the attention is on them.

Also you guys gotta let him play and not sign someone in his position. I expect you guys to sign a top striker, but if you get Hazard too, he'll become an undisputed starter and pushes Vinicius out to the RW where he'll be less effective thus stalling his development for a few years.

Not every manager you get will be as good as rotating the team as Zidane. Few do it effectively tbf.

What are you going to do with Rodrygo though? Both him and Vinicius play at the same position and you won't be able to develop both at the same time. Prob gotta loan him out somewhere or let him stay at Santos for another couple of years.

If I was Florentino I would spend 345m now on Eriksen, Hazard and Icardi.

serghei said:

Kid looks good and seems to me that he is aware he has to work hard and be patient. Has several qualities that make him a top dribbler. Worst thing for him would be a galactico signing on his position. Like a Neymar or a Hazard.

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That depends how you look at it. If he wants to be here then it would suck for him, but if he doesn't mind a move for 2 years like Hakimi then that is in the interest of both parties frankly. In Madrid he would literally have to start scoring for him to have any chance of getting minutes greater than somebody like Asensio. Somebody has to.

Rodrygo is in this summer and will either take his spot or stay in Castilla, which may be a bit of a waste, but all depends on the plan.

Signing a trio of targets to reach short-term goals looks inevitable if we underperform. And underperformance is relative ATM. Top3 finish, Copa Del Rey contention and CL 1/4s seem sensible. Anything less will probably trigger the anticipated exodus.

EdmondDantes said:

I would take whatever is happening in the Bundesliga with a pinch of salt. I feel the level of the competition dropped tremendously over the past 3 or 4 seasons.

Suddenly you're getting youngsters who have barely turned pro, who couldn't even make the bench at their parent clubs just destroying that league like Lookman and Sancho. Lookman for instance, now that's he's back in the Premier League looks just about OK for a squad player at Everton.


Then there's the likes of Keita who looked superhuman in the Bundesliga and now he's a flop in the Premier League - although I do think he can eventually turn it around. Paco, didn't make the bench here whereas in Germany he's a superstar. Batshuayi, goals gallore in Germany, absolute unwanted donkey everywhere else.


I think the Bundesliga now is paradise for youngsters looking to cut their teeth but it's ultimately no parameter to gauge the true level of players anymore.

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Agreed

I somehow wound up reading the comments section of a Marca (I know) article last night, unrelated and all but I saw someone call this guy 'Ficticius' and I just burst out laughing like a child for a minute straight.

Spanish nickname banter is on another level haha.

Ps. 50 mil for this guy is looking cheap. Looks like I got this one wildly wrong.

EdmondDantes said:

I somehow wound up reading the comments section of a Marca (I know) article last night, unrelated and all but I saw someone call this guy 'Ficticius' and I just burst out laughing like a child for a minute straight.

Spanish nickname banter is on another level haha.

Ps. 50 mil for this guy is looking cheap. Looks like I got this one wildly wrong.

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Marca comments are something else. Especially if the South American/Latin American lot join the party. Not for the feint-hearted or politically correct warriors. I like that fact.

His young, so he will have his ups and downs, but its impressive to secure a starting spot this early, didnt expect that.
Yeah, the competition isnt all that this season, but still.