Madrid recruit Vinicius must ignore critics, says Gabriel

Real Madrid signing Vinicius Junior must ignore his critics and just be happy, according to Inter forward Gabriel Barbosa.

Vinicius, 16, has signed a deal to join Madrid from Flamengo, most likely in July 2019, in a move for a reported €45million.

The teenage forward is set to be under pressure to deliver when he arrives at the European and LaLiga champions.

But Gabriel, who made a big-money switch from Santos to Inter last year, said ignoring the critics would be crucial.

"I think he has the most important thing, which is quality. This is indisputable," he told Globo Esporte.

"He can mature at 17, 18 or 25 years. It's hard to put pressure on him.

"Vinicius has to have fun, as he did in South America, to play without thinking about how much he wins, how much he was sold for and to whom.

"He is a child. My advice is to have fun. Many people talk, but some don't know anything."

Vinicius only made his professional debut for Flamengo last month, but he starred for Brazil with seven goals as they won the 2017 South American Under-17 Championship.

Gabriel believes Vinicius will only get better, having played just 61 minutes for Flamengo this season.

"We don't have to speak about the value, but about his football," he said. "Of course, the value was significant, but we have to see his football, how much it can grow.

"I hope he does very well at Flamengo. I pray for him to be happy."