Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior is considering buying a football club in Portugal’s second division, a source has told ESPN.
The Brazil international — currently in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the Spanish Supercopa — is thinking about diversifying his business interests with an eye to his future career plans after retiring as a player.
Vinícius started for Madrid in their 3-0 Supercopa semifinal victory over Mallorca on Thursday, a result which will see them face Barcelona in Sunday’s final.
The news that the Ballon d’Or runner-up is contemplating buying a club in Portugal was first reported by the radio station Cadena COPE.
Vinícius already has a series of personal sponsorship agreements, as well as a contract with Nike which runs until 2028.
Vinícius and Nike recently reached a new deal after a legal dispute, which sees the Brazilian becoming one of the North American company’s most high-profile faces in football.
Vinícius is represented by the agency Roc Nation, and is in frequent contact with elite athletes from other sports, especially the NBA and NFL.
He also promotes the charitable foundation the Vini Jr Institute in Brazil.
The Portuguese second division has 18 clubs, including the reserve teams of Benfica and Porto. One club, Portimonense, already has a Brazilian at the helm, Rodiney Sampaio.
Vinícius would not be the first active footballer to purchase a club.
N’Golo Kanté owns Royal Excelsior Virton in the Belgian third division, and Vini’s Real Madrid teammate, Kylian Mbappé, became the majority shareholder of Caen, in the French second division, in July last year.