Real Madrid News
Real Madrid superstar accepts new hierarchy behind Mbappe and Bellingham – report
One of the biggest summer transfer stories surrounding Real Madrid was whether Vinicius Junior would sign a new contract with the club.
The Brazilian and Los Blancos had been in negotiations for a long time without any breakthrough, but Vinicius eventually put pen to paper on a new deal.
Now, according to Diario AS, the 26-year-old appears to be entering a new phase of his Real Madrid career, one in which the Brazilian is no longer the protagonist.
Vinicius has accepted that his status within the team has changed under new manager Jose Mourinho.
Vinicius accepts changing role at Real Madrid
For several seasons, Vinicius was the central figure in Real Madrid’s attack. However, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham are now considered the two leading figures in Mourinho’s new project.
Their performances at the beginning of the season have reinforced that hierarchy.
Bellingham scored against Espanyol before producing two assists and an outstanding all-round display against Real Sociedad.
Mbappe, meanwhile, opened his account for the campaign by scoring a hat-trick in the 4-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Vinicius understands the situation and had already accepted his changing role when agreeing his new contract.
Rather than competing with Mbappe or Bellingham for individual prominence, the Brazilian’s focus is now said to be on rediscovering his own best level.
Mourinho working to rebuild Vinicius
That process remains important because the relationship between Vinicius and sections of the Bernabeu crowd has become strained.
There were whistles for the winger during Wednesday’s game after some unsuccessful actions, continuing a trend that emerged during Madrid’s disappointing previous campaign.
However, the mood changed dramatically.
Vinicius eventually contributed a goal and an assist, with the whistles replaced by applause as his performance improved.
Mourinho recognised the opportunity and substituted the Brazilian shortly after his goal, later explaining that he wanted Vinicius to leave the pitch while feeling the supporters’ affection.
He is also said to be having many one-on-one conversations with the 26-year-old, unlike how he is treating Mbappe.
It was a small but calculated piece of man-management from the Portuguese coach.
A reset could benefit everyone
Jose Mourinho understands that Madrid’s ceiling becomes significantly higher if he can restore Vinicius to his devastating best.
Not being asked to lead the project and be the face of everything may actually act as a blessing in disguise for the Brazilian.
Mbappe can shoulder much of the goalscoring responsibility, while Bellingham has been given a central creative role.
Vinicius can therefore concentrate on what made him so dangerous in the first place: attacking defenders, creating chaos from the left and being unpredictable.
It seems like Madrid have a clear plan with Vinicius, and it remains to be seen whether Mourinho recovers the Brazilian’s best version this upcoming season.
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
