Vinicius Jr reveals begging messages from Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai and names Chelsea captain Reece James among best friends in football

In a surprising admission, Vinicius named Szoboszlai as one of his closest confidants outside of the Madrid dressing room. Despite their different career paths, the bond between the two creative forces appears to be deep-rooted. When asked about his friends in the game, the 25-year-old revealed in an interview with YouTuber Ibai: "I talk a lot with Szoboszlai. We met when we were younger. [Lucas] Paqueta is my best friend in football. 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 Leao, I have quite a few friends outside."

The connection between the two stars isn't limited to professional respect; they are actively messaging about more than just football tactics. With Vinicius set to launch a signature line of Nike boots, he admitted that the Liverpool man has been hitting up his inbox to get a piece of the action.

"A lot of players have messaged me to play in them!" the Brazilian smiled. "Paqueta at Flamengo, and Szoboszlai of Liverpool has also asked me." This light-hearted banter hides a more serious concern for the Reds: the longer these two stay in contact, the more opportunity there is for "Agent Vini" to do his work on behalf of Florentino Perez.

The news of their friendship comes at a sensitive time for Liverpool, following explosive comments from Hungary manager Marco Rossi. The national team boss sparked uncertainty about the star's future at Anfield, claiming that a move to the Spanish giants has always been the ultimate goal for his captain. Rossi sparked a frenzy when he stated: "Due to the close relationship I’ve maintained with Dominik since he began his football journey, Real Madrid has consistently been his dream."

With Szoboszlai currently delivering a masterclass in the Premier League - having already notched 10 goals this season - the pressure is mounting on Liverpool's hierarchy to secure his future with a lucrative contract extension. 

While there is no suggestion that a deal is imminent, Liverpool find themselves in a precarious spot. The presence of close friends like Vinicius Jr and former teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold, who left Anfield for the Bernabeu last year, adds a dangerous layer to the speculation. 

Liverpool now face a critical crossroads. They must decide whether to meet the reported £300,000-per-week wage demands from Szoboszlai’s camp or risk losing their star man to Madrid’s iconic white shirt.

With the summer window approaching, Szoboszlai’s future is guaranteed to dominate the headlines. Although his contract runs until 2028, giving the Reds some leverage, the psychological impact of peers and coaches talking up a move to Spain is hard to ignore. For coach 0Arne Slot, the ultimate challenge may be convincing his talisman that he can fulfil all his ambitions at Anfield, even as the growing 'Madrid connection' threatens to pull him toward the exit.