"Not every club wants him": former Real Madrid star says keeping Vinicius was a mistake

"A young man with many problems... and he has completely lost his value"!

Santi Cañizares, the former Real Madrid goalkeeper, has taken aim at Merengue star Vinicius Junior, convinced the player's conduct drags the team down.

Time and again, Cañizares argues, the Brazilian's behaviour has made life harder for the Royal club and chipped away at its image.

That is why he fought against renewing the player's contract last summer. He hasn't budged since.

Renewing Vinícius's contract was a mistake

Cañizares said, in comments carried by Defensa Central from Cope Radio: "Maybe I am the odd one out, but I see the decision as a mistake. For me, renewing Vinicius's contract was a mistake, because the player had fully exhausted his value. And I don't think Arsenal's offer was real."

He added: "I would have wished that Real Madrid did not renew his contract, and that Vinicius left for free in the summer of 2027, as he had already exhausted his value, and there would have been no problem in that. I don't see any possibility of selling him to Arsenal, not because of his ability, but because he is a young man with many problems, and not every club wants him."

He continued: "Besides, the big clubs care about their image. There is a difference between signing Diomande, known for his character, and signing Vinicius with his character."

Double error: "He should not play again"

The former international goalkeeper didn't stop at the decision to renew Vinícius's contract. Keeping him in the side, he reckoned, was a mistake of its own.

He said: "Renewing his contract is a mistake, but including him in matches is a double mistake. He has exhausted his value, you signed him at a low price, he gave you a good return and won two Champions League titles with you. I hope all deals are this successful, but it is over now."

Signing off, he added: "At the moment, Vinícius does not offer anything in terms of the club's image, nor in terms of the group, nor even on a footballing level, and that is why he is no longer useful to me."

What Real Madrid wants: Vinicius's defensive role

The website commented after Cañizares' remarks: "Although Real Madrid may decide to sell Vinicius Junior during the summer transfer window, his lack of playing minutes or the continued decline in his level would make getting rid of him extremely difficult. For this reason, the Royal Club, regardless of what happens with the player's future, is working to help him regain his confidence and his best physical condition."

It continued: "José Mourinho is offering Vinicius support and encouragement, with the aim of bringing him back to the level he previously showed. It remains unknown whether these attempts will succeed, but the player feels the club's backing and appreciates it."

It concluded: "It is hoped that Vinicius will soon recover his smile and his enjoyment of the game, but he now realises that if he wants to feature as a starter, he must commit to consistently tracking back to support Cucurella or Carreras in defensive duties. This is the role Diomande is currently performing, and he is achieving great success through it."