Real Madrid face the possibility of losing Vinicius Junior after the Brazil forward rejected the club’s latest proposals to renew his contract, despite reaching a preliminary agreement at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Spanish media reports say Vinicius has withdrawn from that understanding as he seeks a higher salary following Kylian Mbappe’s arrival. Mbappe has become the team’s leading star, while Vinicius believes his own role has been reduced and is asking to receive financial terms comparable to those of the France international.
According to Diario AS, Vinicius is demanding a renewal bonus equivalent to the signing-on payment Mbappe received when he joined Real Madrid. He is also seeking a larger share of his image rights.
Real Madrid have made what they regard as their final offer and are refusing to change their position. The club’s stance leaves only four months before Vinicius enters the final period of his contract, when he will be able to negotiate with other clubs without Real Madrid’s permission.
The dispute began after Mbappe’s first season at Real Madrid. Journalist Aritz Gabilondo said on Cadena SER’s El Larguero programme that the first major confrontation came at the Club World Cup.
Vinicius objected to Xabi Alonso’s decision to leave him on the bench for the semi-final, although the manager eventually reversed that decision and selected him.
Relations between the player and the club have deteriorated since then, raising the prospect of Vinicius leaving during the current summer transfer window.
Journalist Marcos Lopez said: “Real Madrid cannot allow their second player, who was the team’s leading star two years ago, to reach this situation with four months to go before he enters the final period of his contract.”
Real Madrid are unwilling to pay Vinicius a renewal bonus because they believe doing so could encourage Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde and other players to make similar demands.
Gabilondo pointed to the previous dispute involving Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain as a warning. “These things do not end well,” he said.
He also argued that Vinicius no longer has the same position when negotiating his contract as he did two years ago.
“We are talking about Real Madrid’s future project, and Vinicius is not the same player he was two years ago. The club is offering a huge contract, but the player’s level is declining, unlike what happened with Neymar and Barcelona,” Gabilondo added.
The disagreement places Real Madrid in a difficult position: the club wants to retain a player who was previously its principal star, but it is unwilling to meet his demands for a package matching Mbappe’s. With the deadline for Vinicius to negotiate freely with other clubs approaching, the contract stand-off has opened the possibility of a summer departure.
