Vinicius is starring in Real Madrid’s summer soap opera. The player is in the spotlight due to his poor performance and a contract renewal that is causing controversy. The footballer’s demands are far above what the club is willing to give him. Tensions are rising and with the return to work on the horizon, the situation could end up exploding. While tensions rise in the Spanish capital, in Saudi Arabia they are still waiting with millions ready to welcome the Brazilian.
Vinicius’ demands
The problem with Vinicius and his contract renewal with Real Madrid is purely financial. The player is asking for a salary that would make him the highest paid player on the squad. The footballer wants to earn $30 million tax-free per season, which would amount to around $60 million gross per year. According to Antón Meana on Cadena SER, the striker has broken that agreement by demanding that the club pay him the same as Kylian Mbappé. On the other hand, the Brazilian has also asked for a renewal bonus never seen before, which Florentino Pérez is not considering paying.
Real Madrid is not giving in
Real Madrid is very clear that the player will not be leading the negotiations and that there are things they will not agree to. They do not want to give in on the salary issue and enter into a wage war within the squad, and they are certainly not going to accept a renewal bonus that has never been given at the club. “If the condition for staying at Real Madrid is to earn the same as Mbappé, they will NOT give it to him and he will not stay,” said Antón Meana on Cadena SER.
However, there are those who claim that Real Madrid is satisfied with the player’s performance. If the Brazilian returns to his best form, Florentino would have no problem opening his wallet. “Vinicius must return to his usual self. When that happens, it will be time to sit down and money will not be a problem,” said Carpio, deputy editor of MARCA, on Rubén Martín’s Twitch channel. “I am told that, in renewals of this type, the important thing is that the player wants to stay and that you want him to stay. Although things are not yet at that point, but rather at the stage of Vinicius’ recovery,” he added.
Neither the club nor the player are in a hurry, as his current contract runs until 2027, but the tension in the air could complicate matters when work resumes on August 4.
Saudi Arabia waiting in the wings
As if the situation were not already complex enough, Saudi Arabia is back in the equation with a million-dollar offer. Journalist Nicolò Schira reports that the Brazilian has been contacted by Saudi and Premier League clubs. Journalist Ben Jacobs adds to this, claiming that Saudi Arabia is willing to make a €350 million offer to Real Madrid for Vini Jr this summer.
Ramón Planes warns about Saudi Arabia and Vinicius
Ramón Planes, sporting director of Saudi champions Al Ittihad, spoke about Vinicius and his arrival in Saudi Arabia in an interview with MARCA. “I don’t rule it out. I think it fits in with the idea and plan to be one of the most powerful leagues in the world. The World Cup was a good test for the Saudi League. Within that plan, Vinicius could come at an important moment in his career. He has everything going for him,“ he said, adding that ”if you analyze the profile of the player who is coming, even in our team, last summer we made a lot of moves and were market movers. Players like Steven Bergwijn, Aouar, and Moussa Diaby are coming. Players who are 25, 26, 27 years old, at a good point in their careers,” he concluded.