To say the messages coming from Real Madrid over the future of Vinicius Junior are mixed would be an understatement.
The Brazil international, who the Bernabeu club so vehemently claimed deserved the latest Ballon d’Or, continues to be heavily linked with a record-breaking move to the Saudi Pro League amid a prolonged contract dispute.
Clearly, there is discontent on the sides of both parties, even if the Real Madrid PR machine is doing its best to deny the existence of any problems.
Analysing the latest Vini Jr claims
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has nothing but respect of Vini Jr, according to the latest reports from AS.
The club’s leader has been impressed not only by the attacker’s sporting prowess. He has also been taken by the apparently “unconditional love” that the Brazilian has shown towards the Bernabeu side.
According to the Madrid-based paper, the feeling is mutual. “Vinicius is betting everything on Madrid,” it claims.
There should be no problems negotiating a new contract, then? Wrong.
Vini wants a “substantial increase on his €15 million net salary”, which echoes recent claims made that he wants wage parity with Kylian Mbappe – something that the Spanish club have been reticent to provide him and which does not sound much like the unconditional love the media claim he possesses.
Indeed, the expectation is that contract talks will only progress at a glacially slow pace. AS claims that a call might not arrive until well into 2026 – just 12 months before his Real Madrid deal is up.
Again, this does not sound like the basis of a happy relationship.
Madrid frustrated in contract talks
FootballTransfers understands, in conjunction with The Transfers Podcast, the Real Madrid board have long grown tired of Vini Jr using the Saudi Pro League as leverage to drive up his price.
“Madrid have got tired of Vinicius saying: ‘I have this huge offer from Saudi Arabia, you’re going to have to make me the best paid player in the club,’” transfer insider Duncan Castles explained.
“Real have essentially said: ‘Well, look, if you’ve got such a good offer, you should take that offer up because we are not going to give you a better salary than Mbappe.’
“The feedback I’m getting is that he’s become a relatively difficult player to handle. He’s problematic, they feel, outside the dressing room, and he doesn’t always put the team’s interests first.”
There has been no significant movement since then.
What next in the Vini Jr saga?
A breakthrough on the Real Madrid side appears weeks, if not months, away. Strap yourselves in for a long saga.
There’s no doubt that the Saudi Pro League would love a player of Vini’s stature but the belief at the Bernabeu is that the 25-year-old would be difficult to replace, suggesting that Madrid’s position could change.
Contrary to the latest reports, though, it’s clear that all is not rosy between the parties, and there is some significant work to do to mend a damaged relationship.
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