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Vinicius Junior is knocking back Real Madrid's renewal offers, according to reports in the Spanish press, despite the Brazilian reaching an initial agreement at the end of the 2024/2025 season.
Why the change of heart? The player wants more money after the arrival of Kylian Mbappe, who has become the star of the first team and pushed Vinicius into a secondary role. He has been demanding financial treatment on a par with the Frenchman ever since.
According to "Diario AS", Vinicius is asking for a renewal bonus to match the signing bonus Mbappe pocketed on arrival, plus a bigger percentage of his image rights. Real Madrid have tabled their final offer and won't budge.
Just four months remain before the player enters the free period that lets him negotiate with any club without Real Madrid's approval.
Escalating tension
Trouble between the two parties started after Mbappe's first season at the club. Journalist Aritz Gabilondo explained on the programme "El Larguero" on "Cadena SER" radio that the first clash came at the Club World Cup, when Vinicius objected to Xabi Alonso's decision to leave him on the bench in the semi-final. The coach later reversed it.
The relationship has soured since, opening the door to a departure this summer. Journalist Marcos Lopez put it bluntly: "Real Madrid cannot allow its second player, who was the star of the first team two years ago, to reach this situation four months before he enters the free period."
The club's position on the renewal bonus
Real Madrid won't hand Vinicius a renewal bonus. Granting it, they believe, would trigger similar demands from Bellingham, Valverde and others. Gabilondo pointed to Mbappe's saga with Paris Saint-Germain and warned that "these things do not end well".
He added that Vinicius is no longer in a position to demand a contract like Mbappe's: "We are talking about Real Madrid's future project, and Vinicius is not the same player he was two years ago. The club is offering a huge contract, but the player's level is declining, unlike what happened with Neymar and Barcelona."