Revealed: Vinicius Junior remarkably had 'agreement' in place to join Barcelona before Real Madrid move

Barcelona once had preliminary agreement for Vinicius

Bartomeu has revealed that the club had reached a preliminary agreement to sign Vinicius while the winger was still playing in Brazil. The former Barca president explained that Barcelona had already held discussions with the player’s representatives and family. The Catalan club considered the Brazilian youngster one of the most promising talents in world football and attempted to secure his signature early. However, the move never materialised.

Bartomeu explains how Madrid won the race

Real Madrid eventually stepped in and completed a deal with Flamengo in May 2017 to sign the then-16-year-old, with the transfer becoming official once he turned 18 in July 2018. Bartomeu confirmed that Barcelona had made significant progress in talks before Madrid secured the player.

"Vinicius Jr was of interest to us (Barca),” Bartomeu told

A missed opportunity that shaped a rivalry

Vinicius has since developed into one of Real Madrid’s most influential players. During his eight seasons with the club's first team, the Brazilian winger

El Clasico clash with the title on the line

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side currently sit 11 points clear at the top of La Liga with four matches remaining. One point from the clash would