According to AS, Vinicius and Real Madrid will restart contract extension negotiations, after previously being close to an agreement.

Vinicius' contract extension is a complex issue that Real Madrid has been dragging on for a long time, specifically after the 2025 Club World Cup, when Xabi Alonso was already coaching the team. At that time, player representatives and the club had their last face-to-face meeting to try to finalize the agreement. It was during that meeting that both parties were close to signing, but everything suddenly stopped. Now, negotiations will restart from there.

In that last meeting held at Valdebebas after the Club World Cup, Vinicius significantly reduced his initial contract extension salary demands; initially, his asking price was close to €30 million net per year, and Real Madrid also increased its initial offer. In any case, despite the significant initial disagreement between the two parties, they were ultimately very close to reaching an agreement, with positions almost aligned. Until the July 2025 meeting, when the signing seemed imminent, negotiations stalled. Curiously, in that final small stretch where the agreement was almost considered complete, neither side was willing to budge.

Vinicius ultimately demanded a net annual salary of €20 million. Compared to his earnings after his last contract extension, this increase is not particularly large, only an additional €5 million. Vinicius' last contract extension was completed in 2022, although it was not announced until October 31, 2023, more than a year later. At that time, he signed a five-year contract, expiring in 2027, with a total net income of €75 million, averaging €15 million net per season, and the contract was incremental. His initial annual salary was about €10 million, reaching about €18 million by the end of the contract. In addition, his contract included a clause that since winning the FIFA Player of the Year award, he would receive an additional €2 million per season; the same clause would be triggered if he won the Ballon d'Or.

Now, more issues are involved in the negotiations than in the first round, such as the player possibly wanting a contract renewal bonus, similar to the signing fee Mbappé received when he joined Real Madrid. Given that Vinicius' contract is nearing its expiration, this could be brought up. Furthermore, image rights are also part of the negotiations.

Image rights are an important part of financial interests. Mbappé owns almost 100% of his image rights, otherwise Real Madrid would find it difficult to pay his salary. Vinicius also hopes to achieve this. He is now one of the most commercially appealing footballers globally, with 18 international brands signed with him, including Clear cosmetics, Omo cleaning products, Gatorade sports drinks, Rexona personal care products, PlayStation video games, Apple technology, Pepsi beverages, Vivo communications, Prada eyewear, Dubai Tourism, Boss fragrances, UNESCO, Nike, as well as Havaianas, Visa, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Vinicius' contract expires in 2027, and according to FIFA regulations, he can openly negotiate with any club other than Real Madrid starting next January. However, it's hard to overlook the detail that Real Madrid signed Diomande, as Diomande shares the same agent, Frederico Pena, as Vinicius. It's highly likely that Vinicius' future was already broadly outlined before Real Madrid reached an agreement with Diomande.

The latest news from Vinicius' camp indicates that he intends to renew his contract and continue playing for Real Madrid. A few months ago, AS also reported that even if a contract extension agreement could not be reached, the player's own wish was to stay at the club; if that were the case, he would leave on a free transfer next summer. In any case, these questions will be answered in the coming hours after Vini Jr., Mourinho, and Real Madrid's senior management meet face-to-face.

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