Bottom-half Ligue 1 boss makes savage Vinicius Junior transfer joke amid intensifying Real Madrid exit talk

There has been a long-standing interest from Saudi Arabia in Vinicius Junior, although he is yet to succumb to their appeal. Despite the promise of unrivalled wealth and star treatment in the Middle East, the 25-year-old has not indicated that he has any desire to make the switch from Spain. However, there has also been no agreement on a new contract with Los Blancos. Vinicius has a deal that runs until 2027, a date that is drawing closer and causing concern among the Madrid hierarchy that they could eventually lose him for free.

Since Xabi Alonso's arrival as head coach, matters have only gotten worse for the Brazil icon. Vinicius has made it no secret that he is frustrated with constantly being substituted by the former midfielder, and their latest spat came in the 73rd minute of El Clasico, where the No.7 could be seen offering some strong words to his manager as he made his way straight down the tunnel and to the dressing room.

Of the dozens of destinations linked to Vinicius Junior's name as the transfer saga rumbles on, Castro has opted to place Nantes' name in the hat. The Ligue 1 side have been struggling so far this season. They sit in the bottom half, with just two wins and only seven goals scored in nine games so far. 

Due to their lack of firepower, Castro was quizzed in his latest press conference whether he would like to bring Vinicius to the club. His tongue-in-cheek response served it's purpose and humoured the room. 

He said: "I'm going to talk to the president to see if he has the money. If he can come, he could be interesting for the club. Whether he'll be a starter or not, I don't know. All players are different, we need to understand them. It's very important in today's football. You have to accept everyone's limitations or difficulties. Afterwards, if you have one who's completely stupid, it's up to us to do the work."

Clearly, there is no realistic future in which Vinicius is playing for Nantes in Ligue 1. But Castro hid some wisdom in his words, regarding the struggles of dealing with high-profile players in the modern game. Alonso is witnessing it first-hand, with reports that a number of stars in the Madrid squad are unhappy with his rigid new methods, in comparison to the far more relaxed Carlo Ancelotti, who left the club last season. Vinicius, though, appears to be a special case. The former Flamengo man has always had a fiery personality, which has only increased during his rise to the top. The best players in the world expect to play from start to finish, and Alonso failing to do so is certainly a risk, especially considering most clubs across Europe would bend over backwards to sign a player of Vinicius' quality.

The saga is expected to drag on for a little while longer. Regardless of where he ends up, the spotlight will always be on the winger, whether that is in Madrid, Saudi Arabia or elsewhere in Europe. Reports have emerged in recent weeks suggesting Vinicius has a number of Premier League suitors should he opt to depart the Bernabeu. Even if that is his decision, Los Blancos would likely demand a high fee, despite the clock ticking on his contract. Alternatively, Vinicius could choose to extend his stay with the La Liga leaders. For the most part, players usually outlast managers and if it is Alonso the Brazilian is unhappy with, it would not be surprising to see him disappear before the player does.