Real Madrid have opened the door to a possible Vinicius Jr departure this summer, should Arsenal turn their initial interest into a major financial bid. Contract talks over the Brazilian star, now entering his final season with the Spanish club, have stalled, according to press reports.
Britain's"Daily Mail" reported on Saturday that the renewal negotiations had seen no progress over the past 12 months. Vinicius is demanding a salary close to that of Kylian Mbappé, the highest in the squad, along with a hefty loyalty bonus, while Real Madrid have no wish to risk losing the player for free in the summer of 2027.
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Manager José Mourinho is not expected to stand in the way of any deal, the report added, despite his great appreciation of the player's ability. He believes a departure could solve a tactical headache that troubled both Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso: the difficulty of fitting Vinicius and Mbappé into the same attacking line, given their desire to occupy the same spaces and their limited defensive work.
Off the pitch, the relationship between Vinicius and Mbappé was hardly ideal either. The Frenchman held his teammate responsible for contributing to Xabi Alonso's dismissal, after the Brazilian's protests over being substituted sparked a crisis that weakened the manager's position. Alonso was later sacked, despite Mbappé's attempt to back him by playing in the Spanish Super Cup while not fully fit, according to "the Daily Mail".
Mourinho had dealt with similar situations before, the newspaper added, during his first spell at Real Madrid, when he sanctioned the departures of Raúl and Guti to ease tension inside the dressing room.
The Mourinho and Vinicius dispute
The report also touched on the dispute that flared between Mourinho and Vinicius following the Champions League play-off clash with Benfica, after the Brazilian accused Gianluca Prestianni of directing racist abuse at him.
Mourinho said after the match that he could not confirm the accuracy of either account. He also criticised the way Vinicius celebrated his goal, which went down badly within the player's camp, and no reconciliation followed.
With the renewal crisis dragging on, the Spanish club face two options. They can meet Vinicius's demands with a contract worth around 30 million euros per year, plus a loyalty bonus of 15 million euros. Or they can sell him this summer, should Arsenal make a suitable offer, to avoid losing him for free once his contract expires.