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Canucks, Lankinen reach 5-year, $22.5M deal

Published in Hockey
Friday, 21 February 2025 09:24

The Vancouver Canucks and goaltender Kevin Lankinen agreed to a five-year, $22.5 million contract extension on Friday.

Lankinen, 29, has stepped up in place of the injured Thatcher Demko, posting a 19-8-7 record with four shutouts, a 2.53 goals-against average and .905 save percentage over 34 games this season.

That's quite the return on investment for Lankinen, who signed a one-year, $875,000 contract in September.

"Kevin has done a great job for us in net this season," Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said. "Right from the start of the year, he has shown a strong desire to compete and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win hockey games. A good leader and teammate, we wouldn't be in the position we are in right now without his strong play."

Undrafted to begin his career, Lankinen has a 64-51-19 record with seven shutouts, a 2.94 GAA and .905 save percentage in 146 games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators and Canucks.

Lankinen represented his native Finland at the recent 4 Nations Face-Off.

USA-Canada 4 Nations final sets betting records

Published in Hockey
Friday, 21 February 2025 10:58

The surprising smash hit 4 Nations Face-Off finished with a bang on Thursday night when Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime to claim the international tournament's championship. In the process, the final became the most-bet hockey event in legal betting history.

On Friday morning, BetMGM, DraftKings and FanDuel reported that the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game was their most-bet hockey event of all time by total tickets, with DraftKings adding that it also attained the highest handle of any hockey event ever. Caesars and ESPN BET said the game fell just short of their records -- held by the 2024 Stanley Cup Final Game 7 between Edmonton and Florida -- but put up amazing numbers for a mid-February hockey contest.

"Handle for the 4 Nations Final surpassed last year's World Series games and was on par with Sunday afternoon NFL games, which is remarkable when comparing the general scale of hockey and football betting," ESPN BET director of North American sports trading Adrian Horton said via email.

Saturday's first matchup between USA and Canada had previously been the most-bet hockey game of the season, but Thursday night's finale attracted about double the amount of money at ESPN BET and 2 times the number of bets at BetMGM.

Bettors largely wagered along country lines in the championship, with ESPN BET reporting 79% of bets and 77% of handle on USA's money line, while the sportsbook's Canadian counterpart, theScore BET (also owned by Penn Entertainment), saw 84% of tickets and 87% of money backing Canada's money line; the game went off as a consensus pick 'em at -110 for each side.

BetMGM saw slightly fewer bets and less handle backing the Americans, but it was still a majority that, combined with the high volume, made Canada's victory a "good outcome for the sportsbook," per the sportsbook's trading manager Halvor Egeland.

As a whole, the 4 Nations Face-Off was a massive success for the sports betting industry. ESPN BET said that its four most-bet hockey games of the season were the United States' four games, with BetMGM adding that five of its top seven highest-bet hockey events of the season came from the tournament.

"The NHL absolutely nailed it with the 4 Nations Face-Off," DraftKings sportsbook director Johnny Avello told ESPN over text message. "Bettors saw how seriously the players took it and reacted accordingly. Every game of this tournament yielded significant action."

While bookmakers are expecting an initial rush of bets when the NHL returns on Saturday, the league could see its usual lull once college basketball heats up heading into March Madness. That said, the recent big stage for high-stakes hockey could create a bigger boom as teams compete for the Stanley Cup.

"I really think it'll ramp right back up again once we get to the playoffs, especially if we can get some fun matchups," Karry Shreeve, Caesars Sportsbook's head of hockey, told ESPN. "I think the playoffs can really ride off of this momentum more than maybe the rest of the regular season as a whole."

Jackets get captain Jenner (shoulder) from IR

Published in Hockey
Friday, 21 February 2025 10:55

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner appears ready to make his season debut four months since having surgery to repair a shoulder injury.

President of hockey operations and general manager Don Waddell said Friday that Jenner and fellow forward Kirill Marchenko had been activated off injured reserve. Marchenko is back after having surgery on his broken jaw earlier this month.

Jenner's return to the lineup comes just in time for him to play in the Stadium Series outdoor game against Detroit on March 1 at Ohio State's stadium. The 31-year-old was injured during a training camp practice Oct. 4, and when he had surgery a few days later, Waddell was hopeful Jenner would be back playing games before the end of the NHL regular season.

The injury news is not all good, though, as the Blue Jackets will be without forwards Kevin Labanc and Owen Sillinger for the rest of the season. The team said Labanc had shoulder surgery on Tuesday, while Sillinger is out with a knee injury.

Despite the rash of injuries and expectations of being near the bottom of the standings, Columbus is firmly in contention, one point out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 26 games left to play.

BOSTON -- The 4 Nations Face-Off has emerged as a transformative moment for the NHL.

"Nothing's done more for hockey in a decade than what this tournament's done," Team Canada coach Jon Cooper said.

What was supposed to be a midseason appetizer for the 2026 Winter Olympics has evolved into a transcendent event for hockey, which has lacked a best-on-best event since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. That was never more apparent than the first U.S. vs Canada showdown in Montreal, which produced three fights in the first nine seconds of the game followed by an elite representation of the sport as played by two bitter rivals.

The audience was massive -- the 4.4 million people who tuned in to U.S.-Canada on Feb. 15 was up 479% from the same matchup in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. The hype was something the NHL hadn't seen in recent memory. People who don't usually talk about hockey were suddenly talking about hockey.

"The game is in a better place because that game existed," Cooper said.

Now that the 4 Nations Face-Off was a game-changer, how will the NHL capitalize on it -- and what comes next for its midseason events?


THE NHL HAS ANNOUNCED what is on the way in 2026. The All-Star Weekend, which took a hiatus in favor of 4 Nations this year, will return at the New York Islanders' UBS Arena next February. That will serve as a bon voyage event ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, which mark the return of NHL players for the first time since 2014.

The 2026 Olympics begin what the NHL and the NHL Players' Association hope will be a regular cadence of international best-on-best events. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh announced last week the next World Cup of Hockey is scheduled for 2028. Then come the 2030 Winter Olympics, and then potentially another World Cup and so on.

"We couldn't be more excited about making a reality: Olympics, World Cups, Olympics, World Cups on a regular schedule of the best hockey players in the world representing their countries," Bettman said. "We know the full-blown World Cup is going to be sensational."

Sources told ESPN that the future of the NHL All-Star Game beyond next season has yet to be determined.

The NHL All-Star Game isn't going anywhere -- sources said its status as a tentpole event and its history within the league make it an important part of the league's slate of events. But All-Star Weekend's cadence and format beyond next season hasn't been determined. Logically, it could be held in years when there isn't a best-on-best event. Perhaps the league continues to double up with the All-Star Game and the Olympics, like it is doing in 2026.


ALL-STAR GAMES are in a transient place in the sports world right now -- that's not just a function of the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

While the NHL's midseason tournament was being widely praised, the NBA All-Star Weekend received criticism from fans and players. Draymond Green called the game's format "absurd" and said it existed "because ratings are down and the game is bad."

The effort of the NHL's players in its best-on-best tournament was in stark contrast with basketball's midseason classic.

"You can go on an NBA court and go through the motions. You can't do that in hockey," P.K. Subban said on "Get Up." "The culture of our sport, you have to play it with passion. That's what fans are investing in."

While that's true, the NHL All-Star Game isn't exactly USA vs. Canada for the 4 Nations title, either.

"Different event, obviously. I don't remember any fights in the All-Star Games," Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey said. "There's definitely a place to have both. From what I've heard, that's the plan in the future. And I think both can be exciting."

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USA, Canada fight 3 times in the first 9 seconds of game

Three players each from USA and Canada are penalized for three fights in the first nine seconds of the game.


THE ALL-STAR GAME brings some virtues that these international tournaments do not. The World Cup of Hockey will be awarded through a host city bidding process. The All-Star Game brings the world's best players to markets that may never host a World Cup game. It doesn't just spread the wealth among NHL cities -- it does the same among players.

"The one thing about this tournament is 'Where's Leon Draisaitl?' Or Nikita Kucherov?' Go down the list of guys that aren't here that you do get to see in an All-Star Game because those guys are special talents," Cooper said. "Maybe there's something down the road where everybody gets to play, and that would be super cool."

The players at the 4 Nations Face-Off uniformly agreed that there's room for both best-on-best battles and All-Star games in the NHL.

"Obviously this brings out real emotions when you get to play these meaningful games," Sweden's Jesper Bratt said. "The All-Star Game has its cool things to it, too, and I think fans appreciate that part of it: to see the best individual players from each division and each team to participate in a skill competition."

Team USA's Jack Hughes, Bratt's teammate on the New Jersey Devils, said he's made some great memories at the All-Star Game.

"That's always fun for me personally, just because it's not as extreme as this. Obviously, you get to spend more time with your family and your friends and get to enjoy that with them. I think that's a great event," he said. "But as a hockey player for sure, [4 Nations] is the elite of the elite. Getting to play against the best players and represent your country. It means something to everyone on the ice."

Vincent Trocheck said the experience is different for every player at the All-Star Game.

"I've only played in two, and they've been extremely special to me. Every time I've been able to go, sharing that with my family is really cool. So those are ... awesome weekends, but something like this is just different," said the New York Rangers center, who played for Team USA. "It's more meaningful. It's more emotional. Stuff like this is what you dream of as a kid. So coming to a tournament like this is something that you'll never forget. You can't match it."


THE NHL PLAYERS deserve credit, having pushed for more best-on-best opportunities since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

"Whether it's Team Canada, the U.S., Sweden, Finland, the other nations in the future, if there's more playing in these events when you put on your country's uniform, it just means something special," Morrissey said. "It's a different feeling, and you can't replicate that in any other way."

After the success of 4 Nations, everything is on the table. Could the All-Star Game become something that hues a little closer to nation vs. nation? Could those years between the Olympics and World Cup produce more international events, be it a 4 Nations Face-Off or a "summit series" between the U.S. and Canada?

The 4 Nations Face-Off has broadened the possibilities.

"Look to soccer. They have so much international play that gets so much attention. We're not soccer, as far as a global game, but we're not that far behind," Ron Hainsey of the NHLPA said. "That's the long-term goal here ... where fans look forward to these players representing their countries on a regular basis."

Shutting down the regular season for international events isn't without its risks or its critics. The 4 Nations Face-Off saw a handful of injuries, most notably to Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who was hospitalized Monday with an infection in his right shoulder and a significant injury to his AC joint.

"I don't know how the NHL teams feel about it, because guys are going so hard out there and we still have a quarter of the season left," New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes said. "But I think the guys inside the locker room have extreme care for this and are really, really enjoying this."

Canada star Connor McDavid agreed less is more for international tournaments.

"I'm not sure you could do this every single year. It's been pretty taxing. Obviously, we see guys going down and getting hurt." McDavid said. "But it goes to show how much guys care about playing for the country, how much pride they play with while they're wearing the jersey.

"I think with the Olympics and the World Cup, I think we'll get enough."

The World Cup of Hockey returns in 2028, although its final form has yet to be determined. There will be eight teams representing eight nations, without the "melded" teams from 2016 like Team North America and Team Europe. The NHL will not partner with the International Ice Hockey Federation for the World Cup, instead negotiating with other professional leagues themselves in order to populate teams like Germany and Switzerland with players.

There will be a bidding process for host cities, and that process will be open to European locations.

"The Olympics provides a good model for us in terms of how long the break will be for games in Europe," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said.

Of course, the biggest issue around the 2026 Olympics and 2028 World Cup is whether Russia will be included, as it remains banned from international play through 2026 by the IIHF because of its invasion of Ukraine.

"I'd love to see our Russian players playing in these tournaments. Again, they're incredible hockey players," Walsh said. "The issues are political and it is not political as far as the NHLPA, it's the world politics that we have to get through and I'm hoping that as we get closer to the Olympics, as we get closer to the World Cup, we will start seeing the Russian athletes back in the competition."


THE 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF showed best-on-best hockey can cross over to the mainstream. But the conditions might not be there to capture lightning in a bottle a second time.

The geopolitical undercurrents to the USA vs. Canada rivalry heightened its passions. The tournament featured the first opportunity for a generation of stars -- McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, the Tkachuk brothers and Auston Matthews, among others -- to represent their countries in a best-on-best event.

And what, exactly, do they do for an encore? Four fights in eight seconds next time?

"The expectations were high. I think the tournament's done a good job of setting that bar and going beyond it," Team USA's Brock Nelson said.

The 4 Nations Face-Off was meant to be the appetizer for the Olympics. Based on its success, the NHL needs to capitalize on the moment.

Like every American hockey player over the past 45 years, the NHL stars on the United States 4 Nations Face-Off roster are obsessed with the Miracle on Ice.

More to the point, they're obsessed with the movie "Miracle," which chronicled that seminal moment in sports history when the U.S. upset the Soviets in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics before eventually winning the gold medal.

After the U.S. beat Canada in Montreal, cameras caught Jack Hughes singing along to Aerosmith's "Dream On," which was featured in the movie. When Matthew Tkachuk declared that Team USA wanted to send a message that "it's our time," it echoed Kurt Russell's epic speech as coach Herb Brooks before playing the Soviets: "This is your time. Their time is done. It's over."

The Miracle on Ice still resonates because it's the greatest moment in U.S. hockey history, precisely because it remains the last time the men's team captured gold. The next four decades featured promising teams and talented players with the potential for Olympic glory, but all fell short of the ultimate goal.

The 2026 Olympic men's hockey team feels like the culmination of those years chasing gold. Generations inspired by the Miracle. NHL expansion into "non-traditional" markets, which created an unprecedented spike in elite talent. The slow, steady domination of Team USA at other levels of hockey -- such as world juniors, where the U.S. has won back-to-back titles.

"Our player pool is second to none. Over the last 20 years, USA Hockey has done a terrific job, with the overall focus on development of players at a young age," U.S. general manager Bill Guerin said last year. "But we're going to have to play the game and find out on the ice."

Forbes ranks MLS most valuable: LAFC tops Miami

Published in Soccer
Friday, 21 February 2025 10:09

LAFC fended off Lionel Messi's Inter Miami to retain their status as the most valuable Major League Soccer team for a third consecutive year, according to the annual 2025 list published by business magazine Forbes on Friday.

LAFC were valued at $1.25 billion, up 4% from last year and nearly double the $690 million average value of the league's 29 teams. Expansion club San Diego FC, who begin playing this year, were omitted from the ranking.

Miami, fueled by Messi's impact which has led to record-breaking sponsorships and surging fan engagement since his arrival in July 2023, were second on the list after their value rose 17% to $1.2bn.

According to Forbes, Miami's valuation has doubled since 2022.

During the 2024 MLS campaign, Miami claimed a league-record 74 regular season points and Messi took MVP honors but the team suffered a shock first-round elimination from the playoffs.

Reigning MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy ($1bn), Atlanta United FC ($975m) and New York City FC ($875m) rounded out the top five.

MLS's 30th season kicks off on Saturday.

Rubiales fails in CAS appeal of three-year FIFA ban

Published in Soccer
Friday, 21 February 2025 10:09

The highest court in global sport dismissed an appeal by former Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales on Friday after he was banned from any football-related activity for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent at the 2023 Women's World Cup final.

World football governing body FIFA had banned Rubiales in October 2023 for three years, and an appeals committee had also dismissed his appeal in January last year. Rubiales, 47, had the option to appeal the decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

However, a CAS panel determined that his behavior at the presentation ceremony "constituted multiple and serious violations of the FIFA Disciplinary Code," adding that it saw no reason to consider the sanction to be disproportionate.

"The appeal sought to set the contested decision aside, or in the alternative to set it partially aside and amend the sanction, or in the further alternative, apply any other disciplinary measures," CAS said in a statement.

"The appeal by Mr Rubiales is dismissed and the contested decision is maintained."

On Thursday, Spain's High Court found Rubiales guilty of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso without her consent and fined him more than 10,000 ($10,454).

The ruling also banned Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), from going within a 200-meter radius of Hermoso.

UCL draw: Liverpool vs PSG; Madrid vs Atlético

Published in Soccer
Friday, 21 February 2025 10:09

Liverpool have been drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16, while holders Real Madrid face local rivals Atlético Madrid.

Elsewhere in Friday's draw, there will be an all-German tie as Bayern Munich meet Bayer Leverkusen. Arsenal will take on PSV Eindhoven, and Barcelona will play Benfica.

Aston Villa drew Club Brugge, Borussia Dortmund will play Lille, and Feyenoord will go up against Inter Milan.

The ties will be played over two legs. The first-leg matches are scheduled for March 4-5, with the return legs taking place on March 11-12.

Liverpool may leave the draw feeling hard done by: Arne Slot's side won seven out of eight games to progress to this stage as the No.1 seed, bypassing the playoff round along with the other top eight teams, but still drew an in-form PSG side.

PSG finished 15th in the league phase of the competition, reaching the round of 16 with a resounding 10-0 aggregate win over fellow French side Brest in the playoff round.

The tie pits the league leaders in England and France against each other, while both teams possess two of the continent's most effective forwards this season in Mohamed Salah and Ousmane Dembélé.

The winners are due to face either Villa or Brugge in the quarterfinal.

Meanwhile, Madrid and Atlético will meet in a mouthwatering derby, with the first leg to be played at the Bernabéu and the return game at the Metropolitano.

Madrid, who are 15-time champions, reached this stage by knocking out Manchester City 6-3 on aggregate this week, with Kylian Mbappé scoring a hat trick in the second leg.

It sets up a hugely difficult month for Atlético, which also face Barcelona three times in the coming weeks: twice in the a two-legged Copa del Rey semifinal and again in LaLiga.

The winners will meet either Arsenal or PSV in the last eight, with a potential semifinal against either Liverpool or PSG.

On the other side of the draw, Bundesliga top two Bayern and Leverkusen will meet for the chance to take on either Feyenoord or Inter in the quarterfinal. The two sides drew 0-0 when they met in the league last weekend.

A semifinal would then come against either Barça, Benfica, Dortmund or Lille.

Barça beat Benfica 5-4 in the league phase in January, and the teams will meet again over two legs in the last 16, with Hansi Flick's LaLiga leaders afforded the second leg at home after progressing as the second seed.

A potential quarterfinal would then be against either Dortmund or Lille.

Champions League round-of-16 draw

Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa
Borussia Dortmund vs. Lille
Real Madrid vs. Atlético Madrid
Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen
PSV Eindhoven vs. Arsenal
Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool
Benfica vs. Barcelona

Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish could make way for Florian Wirtz at Manchester City this summer, while Darwin Núñez's Liverpool future looks more uncertain. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors, and gossip from around the globe.

Transfers homepage | Done deals | Men's January grades | Women's January grades

TOP STORIES

- Sources: Robin van Persie to be Feyenoord's next manager
- Palmeiras aim to sign Barca loanee Vitor Roque in February
- Sources: Christian Pulisic not in spat with AC Milan head coach

TRENDING RUMORS

- Manchester City will listen to offers for many of their biggest stars players this summer including Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish, the Daily Mirror reports, with Bayer Leverkusen forward Florian Wirtz emerging as a target. Manager Pep Guardiola plans to clear out many of his most senior players before the next campaign. As well as De Bruyne and Grealish, the Mirror reports that Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gündogan and Éderson would all be allowed to leave. Kyle Walker, who joined AC Milan on loan in January, is unlikely to play for City again. Germany international Wirtz is on course to better his performance from last season when Leverkusen won the Bundesliga title without losing a single game. The 21-year-old registered 11 goals and as many assists throughout the whole of that title campaign, and this term already has nine of each to his name. Wirtz is contracted with Leverkusen until 2027, meaning it would cost City upwards of 100m to sign him, but they may see it as a small price to pay to secure one of Europe's most exciting attackers and reinvigorate their team.

- An exit from Liverpool this summer for striker Darwin Núñez looks "increasingly inevitable," according to The Athletic. The Uruguay international's glaring miss in Wednesday's 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, which cost the Reds two potentially crucial points in the title race, may be the final straw for manager Arne Slot. Núñez, 25, has only scored four Premier League goals all season as he has found starts increasingly hard to come by, with just seven in the league thus far this term.

- Real Madrid are keeping an eye on Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens as they see him as a possible option for the future if he becomes available, especially if one of Los Blancos' top players departs, reports Relevo. The 20-year-old has also received attention from Premier League clubs Manchester City and Chelsea.

- Juventus and Napoli both want to sign Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman in the summer, reports Calciomercato, who add that Arsenal and Liverpool could also revisit their interest in the 27-year-old having looked at him last summer. Despite efforts being made to reconcile with manager Gian Piero Gasperini, the Nigeria international will leave whether or not he is there, and La Dea might have to accept a figure under their initial demands of 60m.

- Newcastle United have made enquiries about a potential summer move for Internazionale midfielder Hakan Çalhanoglu, reports TEAMtalk, who add that the likelihood of the 31-year-old departing at the end of the season are increasing. The Turkey international is also the topic of interest from Saudi Arabia, Bayern Munich, and another unnamed Premier League club.

EXPERT TAKE

OTHER RUMORS

- Newcastle United are hopeful of completing a move to sign Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, who is enjoying a record-breaking run of form during with 11 straight clean sheets in the Championship. (Daily Mail)

- On-loan Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen is expected to be moved on from Napoli in the summer, as he has a release clause in his contract that allows him to be signed for an offer worth 75m in the next transfer window. (Calciomercato)

- Lyon president John Textor was asked if he would consider an offer from Paris Saint-Germain for attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki. (AS)

- Roma forward Paulo Dybala is keen on extending his stay at the club, with his representatives now expecting talks to take place over a deal that would extend his stay by a further year. (Calciomercato)

- Multiple clubs in Europe are keen on Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Georgiy Sudakov, who has scored 10 goals in 16 league games this season. (Rudy Galetti)

- Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton is being lined up as a replacement for Christian Eriksen by Manchester United. (Caught Offside)

- Newcastle United are prepared to meet Brentford's 50m asking price for forward Bryan Mbeumo. (Football Insider)

- AC Milan are preparing to part ways with France international left-back Theo Hernández. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

- Juventus' Andrea Cambiaso remains high on Manchester City's list of right-back options with the Premier League club still seeing the position as a key area to reinforce in the summer. (Fabrizio Romano)

- Arsenal, Tottenaham Hotspur and Aston Villa are all interested in Fiorentina striker Moise Kean. (Ekrem Konur)

- West Ham United have revived their interest in signing Lille striker Jonathan David as a free agent when his contract expires in the summer, but they will face competition from Internazionale and Juventus. (The Guardian)

- AC Milan have instructed their scouts in South America to produce a detailed report on Vasco da Gama left-back Lucas Piton, who would be allowed to move for 9m. (Calciomercato)

- Arsenal have agreed a six-figure deal to sign 15-year-old defender Callan Hamill from St. Johnstone, with this coming despite interest from Rangers and Celtic. (The Mirror)

- Juventus want between 25m and 30m for Dušan Vlahović as they plan to offload the striker at the end of the season. (Nicolo Schira)

It shouldn't be that difficult. Real Madrid are the world's most successful club, the reigning LaLiga and European champions. Vinícius Júnior is one of their brightest stars, last year's Ballon d'Or runner-up and FIFA's The Best winner. His goals helped Madrid win two of the last three Champions League finals. So why is there nonstop speculation that Vinícius, who's only 24, is set to leave Madrid for the Saudi Pro League? And -- with the forward's contract at the Bernabéu due to expire in June 2027 -- just how likely is that outcome?

Listen to Vinícius, and there seems to be no doubt that it's Real Madrid for life. "My next step is improving my game, continuing to develop, and helping the biggest club in the world," the Brazil international said last month. "I dreamed of getting here. That's my dream, to think big, and win more trophies in this shirt."

Vinícius passed a major milestone in January, becoming one of only 23 players to score 100 or more goals for Madrid. "It's important for me to be a part of this club's history," he said. "Let's hope I carry on here for many more years. Ronaldo Nazario, Cristiano [Ronaldo] ... they're players who defined an era at this club. Let's hope I can follow in their footsteps."

Those don't sound like the words of a player who's planning an imminent departure. And speaking to Brazilian TV after Madrid's 3-2 Champions League win at Manchester City on Feb. 11, for which he was named man of the match, Vinícius went even further. "It's always exciting to talk to Real Madrid about my renewal," he said. "I have a contract until 2027, but I've always said I want to play here for a long time... God willing, in the coming days, the negotiations can be resolved."

Coach Carlo Ancelotti has been keen to spread a message of calm, too. "As far as I'm aware -- and I have direct information from the player -- he's very happy here," Ancelotti said last month. "They're individual decisions. But I think he's thinking about choosing glory."

It's a nice line, with an implicit follow-up: glory, over endless wealth. But that's exactly what you'd expect Ancelotti to say. And nobody genuinely expects contract talks to be finalised as quickly as Vinícius enthusiastically suggested in Manchester.

The words of Saudi Pro League CEO Omar Mugharbel, speaking last month during the Spanish Supercopa in Jeddah, warned against dismissing the idea of Vinícius choosing the Saudi Pro League. "We don't dream," Mugharbel told Marca. "It's a matter of time, and negotiations."

The Saudi interest is real, and so is Vinícius' willingness to entertain the prospect, a position that strengthens his leverage in talks with Madrid. Those negotiations look like they may become a high-stakes arm wrestling match between player and club.

Additional reporting by Rodrigo Faez and Gustavo Hofman


What is Vinícius' contract situation? And what's the timeframe for renewal talks?

Vinícius' current contract was formally announced by Real Madrid on Oct. 31, 2023 although the terms had been agreed to over a year earlier in July 2022, just weeks after he scored the only goal of the Champions League final against Liverpool in Paris. The contract expires on June 30, 2027. A source told ESPN that the player's take-home pay at Madrid is now 17 million a year ($17.8m) after tax, which includes a substantial bonus he received for winning FIFA's The Best Men's Player in December.

Madrid's typical routine is to begin contract negotiations with stars when they have two years left on their deals. It's a common-sense approach designed to avoid uncomfortable, final-year standoffs when players have increasing leverage. That timeline would mean talks with Vinícius were due to commence this summer, but in this case, the club was aware of interest from Saudi Arabia and made an early first move.

Sources told ESPN earlier this month that Madrid had contacted Vinícius' representatives, saying that they wanted to kick off negotiations. The first step would be to get an idea of the player's salary expectations. That significant development came last week, when the club was informed of Vinícius' demands. The details, and that all-important number, have not been made public. A follow-up meeting took place on Friday, between the second leg of the Champions League playoff against Manchester City and Madrid hosting Girona on Sunday (stream LIVE at 10:15 a.m. ET on ESPN+ in the U.S.).

Is Vinícius really considering leaving Madrid?

Madrid took a gamble on Vinícius, agreeing a 45m deal to sign him when he was just 16 years old, mere days after he had made his professional debut. It's a bet that's paid off handsomely since, as Vinícius has repaid Madrid's faith with goals and individual and team trophies. Sources say that he remains hugely grateful to Madrid for the support and patience the club has shown him during his inconsistent development from rough diamond into the finished article.

Despite that, sources say that Vinícius has felt for some months now that there are doubts within the club about his role in the team over the medium-term. Part of that relates to the arrivals of Jude Bellingham in July 2023 and Kylian Mbappé last summer. Before their signings, Vinícius was Madrid's undisputed star. Now, he's one of three.

Sources told ESPN that Vinícius also suspects that both Bellingham and Mbappé will receive more support in the pursuit of future awards like the Ballon d'Or. In the 2024 men's ranking, the trio finished second (Vinícius), third (Bellingham) and sixth (Mbappé). The votes for Madrid players among the Ballon d'Or panel were split; so too, thinks Vinícius, are the club's loyalties. Vinícius loves playing for the club, but sources said he wants to feel valued -- that Madrid appreciates what he has achieved and what he can still achieve.

There are other issues, too: the near-weekly hostile reception that Vinícius faces from opposition fans in Spain, which has -- all too frequently -- involved racist abuse. Vinícius has bravely led the fight to tackle Spanish football's racism problem, but he has also admitted that the incidents leave him with "less and less desire to play." The attraction of a fresh start in a new league is obvious. But there was no realistic alternative until the Saudi Pro League came calling.

How tempting is the offer from Saudi Arabia?

ESPN first reported on Saudi interest in Vinícius in August last year, with a source saying that the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) had approached Vinícius' representatives. An annual salary of up to 350m had been mentioned, and the idea was for Vinícius to become one of the faces of the Saudis' 2034 World Cup project. His likely destination was Al Ahli. It was a deal that wouldn't just make Vinícius the highest-paid footballer in the world; it would make him the highest-paid athlete in the history of sports. Another source later spoke of a potential five-year, 200m-per-season deal, in a country with no income tax.

Early reports in the Spanish media claimed that Vinícius had rejected the approach, and he was committed to staying at Madrid. But a source told ESPN that was not the case. Instead, Vinícius' decision was not to take any decision at all. He had postponed making a judgment on his long-term future until the end of the 2024-25 season. Another factor was whether or not Vinícius would win last year's Ballon d'Or. Madrid and Vinícius believed that he would, although their confidence proved to be unfounded.

The Saudi interest didn't end there. Sources told ESPN that the Saudis got back in touch with Vinícius' camp in December, keen to keep lines of communication open. No concrete proposal was made, but the message was: don't forget about us. There have been no new developments since December, and a source told ESPN that Vinícius' agents had been irritated by the lack of a formal offer. At present, Vinícius is closer to staying than going, the source said.

Would Madrid agree to a transfer? And for what kind of fee?

Vinícius' 1 billion release clause is prohibitive, even for the PIF. That means that if the Saudis want to secure the player before his contract expires in 2027, an agreement would have to be reached with Madrid on a transfer fee. Last summer, when they were made aware of Saudi interest, the club's stated position was that Vinícius was not available for transfer, and they would not negotiate below that 1bn clause. But Vinícius' camp felt that Madrid might be more open to that possibility in 2025.

Publicly, the club still treats Vinícius in a manner befitting one of its franchise players. They went above and beyond in their support of him in the Ballon d'Or debate, boycotting the Paris ceremony in protest when they discovered that Manchester City's Rodri had beaten their man to the award. And Ancelotti continues to praise him at every opportunity. "People forget that with Vinícius we won the Champions League in Paris [in 2022] and in London [in 2024]," Ancelotti said last month. "He's unquestionable as a player."

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How the football world reacted to Vinicius Junior's Ballon d'Or snub

ESPN FC's analysts and players sound off after Real Madrid declined to attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony upon finding out that Manchester City's Rodri won.

However, there has also been internal frustration at aspects of Vinícius' game, in particular his frequent yellow cards for dissent. Teammates and staff -- who are mostly fond of him -- have tried to help, without success. "[Vinícius] created a lot of chances, he provided an assist, and he got booked. Nothing new, business as usual," Ancelotti joked after a second-half cameo at Leganés this month.

In terms of public relations, any transfer would have to be portrayed as Vinícius' decision, not Madrid's. And there is no consensus on what fee Madrid would likely accept. It would certainly exceed the world record, set when Paris Saint-Germain paid 222m to sign Neymar from Barcelona in 2017. A source told ESPN that the player's camp believed there was internal disagreement at Madrid on the issue. Club president Florentino Pérez was reluctant to budge from the 1bn clause; others, like CEO José Ángel Sánchez, felt an offer between 350m and 400m would be acceptable.

What can we learn from Madrid's previous contract standoffs?

When it comes to player departures from Real Madrid, the house almost always win. Their sense of timing is impeccable. Can you think of a player to whom they've regretted saying goodbye in recent years? The rule even applies to all-time greats, whose exits were once highly controversial. Cristiano Ronaldo left in 2018, unhappy at Madrid's stance in contract talks, and joined Juventus for 100m. The team missed his goals, but hindsight suggests it was the right move.

The same could be said of former captain Sergio Ramos, who unceremoniously left in 2021 after his delayed response to a contract offer led to it being withdrawn. There was Raphaël Varane in 2021 and Casemiro in 2022, both signing for Manchester United for substantial fees. Even Karim Benzema's surprise departure in 2023, joining Al Ittihad on a free transfer while he was the reigning Ballon d'Or, turned out OK: Madrid won a LaLiga and Champions League double the following season, with no need for a first-choice center-forward.

So precedent suggests that if Madrid were to let Vinícius go -- for a world-record fee -- they'd be fine. It would even mean Mbappé could play in his preferred position on the left of the attack.


All of this means that what once seemed unthinkable -- Vinícius Junior, arguably the world's best player, leaving Real Madrid while still approaching his peak -- has become a real prospect. And even if he does end up agreeing to a lucrative new deal at Madrid -- which on balance, is now the most likely scenario -- the Saudi interest means that the club will have to work hard for it.

It's the ultimate power move; to say he'd love to stay, but he's also being offered the biggest contract in sports history, and then ask if there is anything more that Madrid can do.

No wonder Vinícius has been in no hurry to renew. He's holding all the cards.

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