Vinicius Jr suffers blow as Real Madrid reject his key contract demand as talks stall

Real Madrid striker Vinicius Junior's reported demand of being the team's highest earner has put his contract extension talks on hold. The Brazilian's current deal runs out in 2027.

Having arrived in the summer of 2018 from Flamengo in his native Brazil, the 24-year-old has played a key role for Los Blancos, contributing 106 goals and 86 assists. That includes 41 goal contributions (22 goals, 19 assists) in the recently concluded 2024-25 campaign.

There were talks about no 'progress' in the star's extension talks. Amid that, Diario Sport has reported that talks are 'stalled' over the Brazilian's demands to be the club's highest-paid player, breaking the salary cap. The publication tweeted (as translated from Spanish):

"Madrid does not accept Vinícius' ‘blackmail’. His contract renewal has been stalled for some time due to the Brazilian’s financial demands to be the highest paid on the team and break the salary cap."

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SPORT reports that Madrid president Florentino Perez is willing to increase the salary cap to €20 million (from €15 million last season) but is wary of other players putting up similar demands.

For Vinicius, though, it's too less, and he wants his earnings (including bonus) to exceed Kylian Mbappe's, with the Frenchman said to have received a signing bonus when he arrived last summer. The situation has soured the relationship between player and club, who could even put Vinicius up for sale.

If things come to that, as per OK Diario (via SPORT), Madrid might prefer offloading Vinicius this summer, lest his market value drops in 2026 ahead of the last 12 months of his deal.

How Vinicius Junior fared for Real Madrid at the FIFA Club World Cup

Vinicius Junior endured an underwhelming campaign at the recent FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, where Real Madrid lost 3-0 to eventual finalists Paris Saint-Germain.

In six games in the new-look competition, the Brazilian netted once and laid out an assist. Both goal contributions came in the same game - a 3-0 group-stage win over fellow European side RB Salzburg, which confirmed Madrid's place in the knockouts.

Vinicius' most recent trophy with Los Blancos came in the UEFA Super Cup last season, with Madrid beating then reigning Europa League winners Atalanta 2-0, with the Brazilian registering an assist.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Bhargav

Vinicius Jr suffers blow as Real Madrid reject his key contract demand as talks stall - Reports

How Vinicius Junior fared for Real Madrid at the FIFA Club World Cup