Real Madrid Transfer News: Vinicius Junior Discusses Neymar Amid Rumours

Talented Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior has expressed his desire to play alongside his hero Neymar at Real Madrid amid persistent rumours linking the Paris Saint-Germain man with Los Blancos.

Vinicius spoke to the Guardian's Thiago Rabelo and freely discussed his admiration for his compatriot, as well as Cristiano Ronaldo, a likely future team-mate:

"If God wants, Neymar and I will play together at Real Madrid. I would definitely be in favour of him moving to Madrid because it would be my big dream to play in the same side as Neymar. He is my idol in football. If had a chance to play with him, I would feel very happy.

"Every day, I say thank you for being blessed with the gift of playing football. The dream of any player is to have the gift but very few have. I have been given this gift and my desire to improve is even stronger. In this respect, Cristiano Ronaldo is my inspiration. I admire what he has been doing for the last 10 years, playing at such a high level. It is not just talent and quality but hard work too. I hope to be able to tell him that one day."

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Vinicius is still just 17 years old and made headlines last year when he was snapped up by Real for almost £40 million. The move was all the more remarkable because the youngster had barely even featured for Flamengo's senior side, with all of his value lying in his great showings for Brazil's under-17 squad.

He's still with Flamengo and has impressed since being signed by Los Blancos, as you can see in the video below:

The teenager is expected to move to Europe when he turns 18 in July, although he could spend another season on loan at his current club to continue his development.

Per the Guardian's Marcus Christenson, he's remarkably mature for his age:

Vinicius' dream could come true one day, as the links between Neymar and Real continue to drag on. Speculation regarding the former Barcelona man's future has been rife since the moment he moved to France, with many assuming he plans to return to Spain eventually.

El Pais (h/t ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson) recently suggested his contract included a buyout clause Real could trigger in the summer, although Ligue 1 president Didier Quillot quickly shot down said report, pointing out release clauses are illegal in France, per Marca's Pablo Polo.

The 26-year-old's popularity in Paris is waning fast, and he didn't help matters when he didn't show up for the club's title-winning match, opting to play online poker instead, per ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson:

While a summer move seems difficult due to the high transfer fee PSG paid less than 12 months ago, Neymar seems destined to play for Real at some point in his career. He could form an impressive duo with the younger Vinicius, who plays with just as much flair and drive for goal.