Vinicius Junior is preparing to hold a decisive meeting with Real Madrid officials as soon as he returns from his holiday, a step expected to settle the doubts that have surrounded his future for the past year and a half.
The Brazilian forward touches down in the Spanish capital this Sunday evening, before starting work under Jose Mourinho the following day.
According to the Spanish newspaper "AS", the meeting will give Vinicius Junior the chance to tell Mourinho first, then the club's officials, exactly what he wants from his near future, and to learn what happens next with the renewal of his contract, which expires in 11 months.
A new deal would guarantee his stay in Madrid. Everything changes if no agreement is reached, and a departure would not be ruled out.
Both sides continue to insist the intention is to sign a new contract. Yet no one knows what might unfold before the two parties sit down face to face.
Real Madrid hold no information regarding Arsenal's interest, the rumour that has circulated strongly over the past seven days.
No official contacts exist in this regard, while the Brazilian's agents deny any agreement with the European runners-up.
Los Blancos say they feel at ease because of the signals the player sent during recent contacts between the two parties.
Officials trust what he said in their last conversation, when he expressed his desire to continue.
"AS" revealed that the offer will not change, or at least will not reach the level Vinicius Junior demands. His representatives assured the newspaper in February 2025, following Saudi interest, that a deal was very close to being signed.
The contract was never signed. Circumstances then dragged on, and a year and a half passed without anyone seeing the new deal.
Now the club's officials want to push Vinicius Junior into revealing his position. If it is true that he does not want to renew, he must say so, after which Real Madrid will begin to move, study the transfer market and search for the best possible option.
Both club and player want this meeting to establish whether either side's stance has shifted.
The gap during this period has been economic, and each party is trying to read the other's intentions.
Vinicius already knows how the club's previous big showdowns ended: Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ozil and Di Maria all walked away.
The relationship now runs deeper than whether to make a change or improve the offer. Real Madrid want to know what Vinicius Junior really wants, away from the potential moves made by his agents, with whom the forward shows a close bond and a great deal of agreement.