Vinicius Junior Reportedly Set to Join Real Madrid for 2018-19 Season

Real Madrid are reportedly planning to bring Brazilian recruit Vinicius Junior into their squad ready for the 2018-19 season after the starlet turns 18 and meets the age requirement for his European switch.

Los Blancos already secured the teenager's signature in May last year, but Jose Felix Diaz reported for Spanish newspaper Marca that the club would look to bring him on board after he turns 18 on July 12.

According to the report, Real have "maximum faith" in the Flamengo prodigy and will shun calls to let him develop in his native Brazil, instead opting to induct him at the earliest possible opportunity.

The winger has already gathered a large following in his native Brazil and earned comparisons to compatriot Neymar, whom he's hoping to join at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia later this year:

A premature move to Real presents a major risk for a player who cost them €45 million last year, with the threat that Vinicius Jr could struggle with the transition to Europe at such a young age.

The move also appears particularly perilous when one considers Vinicius Jr only started in four of the 32 games he played for Flamengo in 2017, per Transfermarkt.

The player himself has shown maturity in his approach to his impending Real career, however, and told Brazilian broadcaster Globoesporte last month that he wishes to grow at Flamengo until the end of 2018, per Virtudes Sanchez of Marca: 

"My plan is to stay at Flamengo for the entire season to mature, but I still don't know.

"If it's up to me, I'd stay at Flamengo to help everyone who has always helped me. I have a great deal to contribute yet."

Real placed a huge amount of faith in Vinicius when they offered big money to win his services last year, as James Gheerbrant of The Times spotted a growing pattern of major investment in unproven players:

It's of course his potential that Los Blancos are investing in, and after a disappointing 2017-18 season that sees Real third in La Liga and 14 points off leaders Barcelona, they could welcome any contributions to the cause.

Sanchez's report said Vinicius will ultimately have a big say in deciding whether he moves this year or in the summer of 2019, but Real seem determined to get their hands on his talent sooner rather than later.