Vinicius Jr. Will Reportedly Leave Flamengo, Join Real Madrid for Pre-Season

Real Madrid have reportedly turned down Flamengo's bid to keep Vinicius Jr. on loan for the remainder of 2018, meaning the forward will join Los Blancos for pre-season in July. 

According to AS' David F. Sanchidrian, Real Madrid have rejected Flamengo's proposal to keep Vinicius at the club a little longer as it has always been their plan to have the player with them for pre-season ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.

After a farewell press conference in Rio de Janeiro on July 2, Vinicius will fly to Madrid on his 18th birthday, July 12, to complete his move to Real before they start their pre-season tour of the United States three days later.

Real reached a deal to sign him in May last year when he was just 16, for €46 million (£39.6 million), though in their statement announcing the agreement it was said he would remain with Flamengo until July 2019 unless both sides agreed for him to move before then.

According to Sanchidrian, Flamengo are still holding onto the hope that Madrid allow him to return there on loan should they decide there is not enough room for him in their first-team squad in the new season.

Brazilian journalist Mauro Cezar (h/t AS) reported earlier in June that Vinicius has a verbal agreement with Madrid that he won't be sent on loan to another European club, but he can be sent back to Flamengo before Brazil's August 15 deadline on registering players based overseas.

Real will therefore have a month to assess Vinicius in pre-season before making a decision on him, which should give them time to judge what kind of level he's at and whether they'll need him based on their other transfer activity.

If they feel he's unlikely to get much game time at the Santiago Bernabeu, first-team football at Flamengo will likely be more beneficial.