Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu revealed Vinicius Junior was in the early stages of signing with the Catalans before Real Madrid swooped in. The Brazilian famously put pen to paper at age 16 to join the 15-time European champions from Flamengo. Once he came of age in July 2018, Vinicius Jr moved to the Spanish capital and the rest is history. Two Champions League titles, three La Liga titles and 127 goals later, the winger is among the best players in world and remains the face of Real Madrid —even after Kylian Mbappé transferred from Paris Saint-Germain ahead of the 2024–25 season. But there was a possible reality in which Vinicius Jr donned the Blaugrana shirt instead of a white one. How Real Madrid Swayed Vinicius Jr From Barcelona Vinicius Jr led Real Madrid to their two most recent Champions League triumphs. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images It comes as no surprise that Barcelona were interested in Vinicius Jr, whose talent was apparent even at the age of 16.…