Vinicius Jr. is enjoying his vacation, oblivious to all the speculation surrounding him and Real Madrid. His performance has been heavily criticized, with talk of him being benched by Xabi Alonso, with whom he seems to have no understanding. In addition, there is no agreement on a contract renewal due to the high demands of a player who once again has offers on the table to leave this summer.
Vinicius in Xabi Alonso’s sights
During the Club World Cup, it became clear that Vinicius’ attitude and performance on the pitch is a problem. Xabi Alonso started him in every game of the World Cup, but against PSG he took him off at half-time when he saw that he was not working with Mbappé. There has been speculation in recent hours that the Brazilian was not even going to play in that match. Journalist Alberto Pereiro on Onda Cero said that if Trent had not been injured before the semi-final, the coach’s decision was to leave Vinicius on the bench for that match. In the end, he played and did so as a right winger, a position where he was not at all comfortable.
The relationship is not at its best, as the coach is unhappy with the performance, work ethic, and obedience of a player who has not been himself since he won the Ballon d’Or. He is not committed to defensive duties, he is increasingly capricious on the pitch, complicating his relationship with the referees, he is passive on the pitch with no motivation or proactivity in most games… and so on and so forth with a long list of problems that have stalled his contract renewal and cast doubt on his place in the starting line-up and even his future at the club.
No renewal agreement
Vinicius Jr’s contract with Real Madrid expires in 2027, and there has been talk in recent months of an agreement to extend that contract, which does not exist. There is no contract renewal agreement between Vini Jr and Real Madrid for now, because the player’s salary demands are higher than what the club is willing to pay.
The player is asking for a salary that would make him the highest paid player on the squad, around €30 million, and has also requested a renewal bonus never seen before, which Florentino Pérez is not considering paying.
The Brazilian has publicly stated that he wants to continue with the team and wants to get back to his best ahead of next summer’s World Cup, but to do so he will have to show a different attitude to convince Xabi Alonso. Right now, renewal is out of the question and, after what we saw in the Club World Cup, his place in Xabi Alonso’s starting lineup may also be in question.
Options to leave this summer
In recent hours, rumors have resurfaced about the player’s possible departure from Real Madrid due to his high salary demands. Journalist Nicolò Schira reports that the Brazilian has been contacted by Saudi and Premier League clubs. This information is corroborated and expanded upon by Ben Jacobs, who speaks of a concrete offer on the table. Saudi Arabia is willing to make an offer of €350 million to Real Madrid for Vini Jr this summer. The player says he wants to stay, but if his performance does not improve, the amount is more than enough to make him think twice.