Bayern Munich has reportedly approached Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior, a move that could pave the way for the Spanish club to sign Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, according to reports from El Nacional and heavy.
com on July 5, 2026.
Haaland is said to be dissatisfied with the tactical direction under new manager Enzo Maresca and is considering leaving the Etihad Stadium following the departures of Pep Guardiola and Bernardo Silva.
Real Madrid is eager to offload Vinicius Junior to free up financial space for Haaland, who remains a primary target for the club's board.
Vinicius's contract runs until 2027, but Madrid fears losing him for free if they do not sell now.
Transfer insider Ekrem Konur reported that contract talks between Real Madrid and Vinicius Junior stalled after the club rejected his demands for a salary matching Kylian Mbappe.
Discussions are expected to resume after the World Cup.
Journalist Marta Garcia noted that Haaland is highly regarded by Madrid's management, but they will only pursue him if Vinicius leaves first due to financial constraints.
If Haaland arrives, Mbappe would shift to the left wing, forming a formidable duo.
Meanwhile, Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti dismissed the idea of an 'anti-Haaland' plan ahead of their World Cup knockout match against Norway.
“I don’t think that there is such a thing as an ‘anti-Haaland’ plan,” Ancelotti said. “Everyone knows how he works.
I have nothing to explain to my defenders.”
In other transfer news, Real Madrid is tracking Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimarães, valued at $80 million.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has reportedly convinced Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni to move to Stamford Bridge, while Arsenal's Martin Ødegaard faces conflicting reports about a potential $46 million switch to Galatasaray.
