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Real Madrid, Flamengo reach reported €45M agreement over Vinicius Junior

Pilar Olivares / Reuters

Brazilian football's latest teenage phenom is destined for European football.

Real Madrid and Flamengo reached an agreement Tuesday regarding the transfer of Vinicius Junior, who, at only 16 years of age, is being hyped as the next superstar off Brazil's production line. Los Blancos will pay €45 million for the South American teenager's services, two-thirds of which will be paid up front while the remaining third is paid once he takes the pitch in Spain, according to Globo Esporte.

Real Madrid will acquire Vinicius' federative rights in July 2018, and the player will remain at Flamengo until July 2019, although he can move to the Santiago Bernabeu beforehand if both clubs agree to it.

Vinicius made his professional debut less than two weeks ago, featuring as a substitute in Flamengo's 1-1 draw versus Atletico Mineiro on the first matchday of the Brasileirao Serie A. His nervousness was obvious, as a misplaced cross and misplaced backheel were the highlights of a 12-minute appearance at the Maracana, where 40,000 supporters had come to witness a heroic christening but left disappointed. As Tim Vickery wrote for World Soccer, "He looked a little bit like a ball boy who had run onto the field when no one was looking."

But an underwhelming debut can't overshadow what Vinicius accomplished at the Sudamericano Sub 17. The braces-wearing adolescent introduced himself to South America by scoring seven goals and was named the tournament's best player as Brazil won the competition for a record 12th time.

Vinicius played futsal at Canto de Rio, a famous club in Niteroi, until he turned 10 years old, at which point he tried out for Flamengo and made the cut.

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