Vinicius Junior has told Real Madrid that he will not renew his contract at the club while his relationship with head coach Xabi Alonso remains strained.
Vinicius Jr’s contract runs until the end of June 2027. Talks over an extension started in January but stalled after the two sides could not reach an agreement.
Following Madrid’s 2-1 Clasico victory over Barcelona on October 26, Vinicius Jr went to see Perez to apologise for his behaviour during the match. He had reacted angrily after being substituted by Alonso in the 72nd minute, storming off the pitch and shouting: “Always me, I’m leaving the team, it’s better if I leave, I’m leaving.”
At that meeting, the subject of Vinicius Jr’s future was also discussed. He made it known that he feels extending is not the best option for him due to his relationship with Alonso. There has been no change in that position since.
The origins of these tensions can be traced back to Madrid’s 4-0 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain at the Club World Cup semi-final on July 9.
Alonso planned to bench Vinicius Jr for that game, but an injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold eventually forced him to change his plan and the Brazilian did start. Since then, he has only completed five of Madrid’s 17 games in all competitions so far this campaign, starting on the bench four times, including Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Elche. Vinicius Jr believes Alonso is not being fair to him.
Alonso has spoken about his relationship with Vinicius Jr several times at press conferences this season. He has been keen to stress that there is no personal issue between them and that rotation in selection is important to the team. In recent weeks, Alonso has often appeared frustrated by the ongoing drama around the situation.
Vinicius Jr signed fresh terms at Madrid in 2022, the details of which were announced a year later. He currently earns around €18million (£15.8m; $20.7m) a year after tax, and his contract contains a €1billion release clause.
Earlier this year, Madrid made Vinicius Jr a renewal offer, including an increase in salary to around €20million net a year. When this was not accepted, the club asked the player’s side to propose a figure.
Vinicius Jr’s representatives requested a historic contract, in the region of the highest ever at the club (which was given to Cristiano Ronaldo), with a package of up to €30million per season. This included base salary, performance bonuses, and a renewal bonus, something which has not been offered to players at Real Madrid previously.
Further talks were held before the start of the season, but have now stalled. Madrid understand that, beyond the financial differences, the difficult situation between one of their star players and their head coach is a handicap in attempts to move negotiations forward.
Madrid are pleased that Alonso is making important changes and that the team are leading La Liga, but at the same time, there is concern about discontent among a significant group of players in the squad, with Vinicius Jr being the clearest example.
Credit: The Athletic
