Vinicius Jr. is enjoying his vacation while news about him continues to pile up. For months, there has been speculation about a renewal agreement with Real Madrid, which has not yet been finalized. The club does not want to delay the renewal for too long, but the Brazilian’s demands are not in line with what the team is willing to offer, especially since his performance has plummeted and there is no longer an offer from Saudi Arabia to pressure the final decision.
Vinicius in the spotlight
During the Club World Cup, it became clear that Vinicius’ attitude and performance on the pitch is a problem. The player has not been the same since he missed out on the Ballon d’Or last summer. The Brazilian is not performing at his best and his commitment to Real Madrid has been called into question due to his attitude on the pitch.
He is not committed to defensive duties, he is increasingly capricious on the pitch, complicating his relationship with referees, he is passive on the pitch, lacking motivation and proactivity in most games… and so on and so forth with a long list of problems that have stalled his renewal and cast doubt on his place in the starting line-up.
A problem with Vinicius’ salary
The player’s renewal has been on the white team’s agenda for some time, but no agreement has been reached, mainly due to the player’s financial demands, which Real Madrid is not willing to accept. On the one hand, there is the salary. The player is asking for a salary that would make him the highest paid player on the squad, around 30 million euros. The club does not want to open the floodgates and enter into a salary war with Mbappé or Bellingham in the equation.
In addition, the Brazilian has also asked for a renewal bonus never seen before, which Florentino Pérez is not considering paying. Even so, with Vinicius’ contract expiring in 2027, the future must be considered. Real Madrid will begin talks with Vini Jr. to renew his contract after his return from vacation, according to Melchor Ruiz on COPE. It will be a key meeting in which the player will also be questioned about his commitment to the club given his dip in form.
Cañizares points to Vinicius
Former goalkeeper and commentator Santiago Cañizares has spoken out about Vinicius Júnior. “Vinicius cannot afford a season like last season, that’s obvious,” he said, stressing that “he cannot afford it on an individual level, nor can Real Madrid afford it.” Cañizares explained that “Vinicius arrived on a high, thinking about the Ballon d’Or gala, where he had high hopes, and not achieving that has affected him emotionally.”
On the Brazilian’s contract renewal, he said, “What I can’t understand is that a renewal agreement was reached in April and it wasn’t signed a week or two later.” He added, “When a player, a club, and an agent reach an agreement for a renewal, everything would be much calmer if it were signed immediately.”
He didn’t want to stop talking about the player without first sending him a clear and direct message. “Vinicius can’t repeat last year’s level, because he’ll become a residual player.” And he sent a direct message to the Brazilian: “You may look like a star and have the talent, but to be one, you have to prove it.”