The salary of Vinicius Jr. is one of the issues that arouses the most interest among Real Madrid and football fans in general, after the Brazilian asked to be the highest paid player in the squad following the offer he received from Saudi Arabia. His meteoric career as an elite player has made him one of the players with the highest salaries at the club, but he wants more.
Vinicius, one of the highest paid
Vinicius’ last renewal was in 2023, when the Brazilian winger signed a contract until 2027, which allowed him to become one of the highest paid players on the squad, only behind Kylian Mbappé and David Alaba.
According to Capology data, Vinicius’ contract is worth up to 20.83 million euros gross per season, which would be approximately 10 million euros net. This amount makes him on a par with another of the team’s stars, Jude Bellingham, who arrived last season with a similar contract. The incorporation of variables in his contract can make this amount higher depending on sporting performance and common objectives such as titles or individual ones such as the Ballon d’Or, reaching 15 million net.
Vinicius’ salary evolution
Vinicius arrived at Real Madrid in the 2018/19 season from Flamengo for around 45 million euros. At just 18 years old, the Brazilian arrived at the club with a salary of 7.5 million euros gross per year. At first his performance was intermittent, but the player’s potential was always present.
This situation changed with the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti in the 2021/22 season. The Italian coach managed to get the most out of Vinicius’ ability, making him a decisive player. In that year he won the Spanish League and the Champions League with the Brazilian as the star of both competitions. This improvement also resulted in an improvement in his contract, which rose to the current net figure of 10 million.
The importance in the sporting arena
The role that Vinicius plays at Real Madrid transcends his salary. In sporting terms, he has established himself as one of the greatest exponents of the team; he is an essential player in the different approaches of coach Ancelotti. His ability to break down the defensive position of the opponent, his versatility in occupying different positions and his growth as a scorer make him one of the best attacking players in the world.
Economically, Real Madrid has a buy-out clause of 1 billion euros, and is holding on to it in the face of a possible offer from Saudi Arabia for the player. However, the player wants to increase the salary he receives from the Whites, something that seems unlikely. And there is a risk that the player will reject a new contract if he does not become the highest paid player in the squad, which could result in him being free in 2027.
With Mbappé at the top of the salary table with 26 million gross, he is followed by Alaba with 22.5 million and Vinicius shares the third step with Bellingham. These salaries demonstrate the club’s commitment to a long-term project, combining experience and youth, ensuring that the main figures that the team should have over the next few seasons are satisfied on the pitch and used to seeing a good figure in their respective bank accounts.
Tough negotiations are expected, but the player will finally extend his contract, although it seems very unlikely that he will earn the maximum, as Florentino Pérez fears the domino effect on other stars in the squad.