Vinicius has just been involved in an internal conflict scandal with captain Xabi Alonso. The incident was so hot that the Brazilian striker was determined not to renew his contract with Real Madrid until the conflict had been resolved.
After the final whistle of the match against Olympiakos rang out, Vinicius and coach Alonso took a close action, directly blowing away information about their previous deteriorating relationship. The match in Greece was a very good performance by the Brazilian striker even though he did not score.
The question now, when Vinicius has untied the knot in his relationship with Xabi Alonso, is the right time for him to extend his contract in the context that it will expire in the summer of 2027.
Vinicius signed a new contract with Real Madrid in 2022 and receives a salary of 18 million Euros/year after tax. At the beginning of the year, Los Blancos proposed a salary of 20 million Euros/year after tax but were not approved. The team suggested that Vinicius give a number and the 25-year-old striker's representative shouted 30 million Euros/year. This includes basic salary, performance bonus and extension bonus, which had not previously been applied to players at Real Madrid.
The highest-paid player in the Real Madrid squad is Kylian Mbappe at 15 million Euros/year, after he joined on a free transfer in the summer of 2024. Mbappe has an unprecedented privilege at the Bernabeu, where the French striker will receive all the image copyright.
Real Madrid are hesitant to raise Vinicius' salary too high because it will become a bad precedent, causing the remaining players in the team to demand too. Regarding his influence on the field, Vinicius cannot compare with Mbappe at the moment. Last season, Vinicius had 22 goals and 19 assists but Mbappe had 44 goals and 22 assists. Since the beginning of the season, Vinicius has only had 5 goals and 6 assists, while Mbappe has 21 goals and 3 assists.
Vinicius' form has tended to decline since the 2025 Ballon d'Or Gala, when he finished second in the race against Rodri (Man City). Real Madrid can use these two factors to avoid reaching apromise with Vinicius if the demand is too high.
Real Madrid can also choose to sign a short-term contract with Vinicius, then see how this striker plays. If the Brazilian star truly shines, then it is not too late for both sides to move towards a contract with high benefits and long-term benefits.
If Real Madrid still cannot reach an agreement in the end, they must consider selling Vinicius after the 2026 World Cup. The breach of the contract between Vinicius and Real Madrid is worth up to 1 billion Euros, but if there is a partner really wanting to buy, Los Blancos can leave the price at more than 160 million Euros (according to CIES). This summer, Vinicius will be 26 years old, still at the peak of his career, so there will be many big clubs in Europe who want to sign this striker. Not only Europe, many tycoons in the Saudi Pro League are also willing to spend unprecedented money in history to welcome Vinicius to Saudi Arabia.
Real Madrid's move for Vinicius to leave the team on a free transfer is not an impossible option. By January 2027, if he still cannot renew with Real Madrid, Vinicius will be free to negotiate with any club he wishes. Not having to pay for the Brazilian striker (as Real have Mbappe) will make many teams much easier to breathe.
