Vinicius Junior’s future at Real Madrid remains one of the hottest topics at the Santiago Bernabéu, as negotiations over the Brazilian star’s contract renewal have yet to reach a conclusion.
According to AS, both parties are expected to resume talks from where they left off after the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, when the last meeting took place between the player’s representatives and Real Madrid’s executives.
At that stage, an agreement appeared to be very close. Vinicius had lowered his initial salary demands, while Real Madrid had improved their offer. However, neither side took the final step needed to complete the deal.
Vinicius’ Current Contract
In 2022, Vinicius signed a five-year contract with Real Madrid that runs until 2027. The agreement guarantees him approximately €75 million net over the course of the contract, averaging €15 million net per season.
The deal is structured progressively, with the Brazilian initially earning around €10 million per season, rising to approximately €18 million during the final years of the contract.
It also includes a performance bonus of around €2 million per season if Vinicius wins The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, while a similar bonus would be activated if he were to win the Ballon d’Or.
Vinicius’ New Demands
For his next contract, the Brazilian forward is seeking a salary of approximately €20 million net per season, along with significantly improved earnings from his image rights.
This represents an increase of around €5 million per season compared to his current deal, but negotiations have become more complicated due to the additional financial demands.
One of the main sticking points is a potential signing or renewal bonus, similar to the one Kylian Mbappé received when he joined Real Madrid, as well as greater control over the player’s commercial rights.
Image Rights: A Key Issue in the Negotiations
Vinicius is one of the world’s most marketable footballers and has an extensive portfolio of global sponsorship deals.
The Brazilian currently works with several international brands and is seeking a model similar to Mbappé’s, who retains control over a significant share of the revenue generated from his image rights.
This issue is expected to be one of the biggest obstacles to reaching a final agreement between the player and the club.
Vinicius Wants to Stay in Madrid
Despite the difficulties in negotiations, signals from Vinicius’ camp indicate that his priority is to continue his career at Real Madrid.
His current contract expires in 2027, and from next January he will be eligible, under FIFA regulations, to negotiate with other clubs.
However, there is optimism in Madrid that an agreement over his future may already be taking shape, particularly following the signing of Diomande, who is represented by the same agent as Vinicius, Frederico Pena.
The final decision is expected to become clearer after the next round of meetings between the player, his representatives, and Real Madrid’s management.