Vinicius Junior's future remains one of the hottest issues at Real Madrid this summer, with the club's fans awaiting a resolution for one of the team's biggest stars, amid growing interest from Europe's major clubs and the board's desire to keep the pillars of its new project.
Debate over the Brazilian's future has intensified over the past few hours. Arsenal have declared their interest in Vinicius, coinciding with talk of Real Madrid's readiness to let him go given his high financial demands. Then came a surprise development, according to journalist Marco Ruiz of the Spanish newspaper AS.
Ruiz says the priority for Vinicius now is to stay at Real Madrid. That is the same position the board hold, and they have denied any link between the imminent signing of Ivorian Yann Diomande, who shares an agent with the Brazilian, and the possibility of Vinicius leaving.
Major European clubs are watching the player's situation, taking advantage of the fact that he is approaching the end of his contract. Arsenal have shown initial interest, while Liverpool previously expressed a desire to sign him for free in the summer of 2027. The player's wish, though, is to continue in a Real Madrid shirt.
The newspaper says matters are developing quickly at Real Madrid, and that the two parties will meet within days to settle everything. "Renewal talks are expected to resume after Vinicius returns from his holiday, as he first wants to meet with club officials to find out his standing in the project of the Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, in addition to establishing the financial valuation he will receive in keeping with his global standing."
Mourinho, according to the report, is keen to keep Vinicius. He wants to build an attacking trio of the Brazilian alongside Kylian Mbappe and Yann Diomande, with Jude Bellingham behind them, as one of the most important elements of the new project.
Renewal negotiations had reached advanced stages before stopping suddenly after the Club World Cup. Vinicius reduced his financial demands and Real Madrid raised their offer, leaving the gap between the two parties very limited. The final agreement fell through because each side held firm to its position in the closing stage.
Vinicius is currently demanding a salary of close to 20 million euros net per season, compared to an average of 15 million euros net per year in his current contract. He signed that deal in 2022 and it runs until the summer of 2027, with an additional bonus of two million euros after he was crowned with "The Best" award.
Over the past period, the player has felt he is not sufficiently appreciated at the club, especially with Real Madrid being linked to Julian Alvarez and Michael Olise, despite Vinicius being one of the most prominent contributors to winning the last two Champions League titles.
Vinicius still sees his future at the Santiago Bernabeu, the report concludes, and he is ready to help reach a new agreement. Real Madrid, for their part, consider renewing his contract the best deal the club could complete this summer.