A dramatic week shifts direction

For weeks, the storyline around Vinicius Jr has revolved around tension, uncertainty and a contract renewal that seemed frozen. Everything intensified after El Clásico, when the Brazilian reacted angrily to being substituted and walked off shouting in frustration. His public apology came days later — notably, without mentioning Xabi Alonso.

But in Greece, something changed. Following Real Madrid’s wild 4–3 win over Olympiacos, Vinicius and Alonso shared a long, emotional embrace. Sources inside the squad reveal that the forward had already apologized face to face to all his teammates — including the coaching staff. That private gesture, followed by the public one, has reset the relationship… and opened the door for what comes next: the renewal.

The turning point in contract talks

Real Madrid and Vinicius have been negotiating for months, but the main hurdle was financial.
The winger currently earns €15 million gross per season, with a contract running until June 2027. His initial demand was clear: to earn the same — or more — than Kylian Mbappé, whose deal includes €15M net salary plus an €8M annual signing bonus (23M net total, roughly 46M gross).

But now, Vinicius has taken a step the club did not expect: he has accepted lowering those initial demands.

This shift has brought both sides much closer to an agreement, and optimism inside the club is higher than at any point in the past year. Real Madrid now aim to finalize the new deal in the coming months — ideally well before January 2027, when Vinicius would legally be free to negotiate with other teams entering the final six months of his current contract.

A calmer future — and a player still chasing greatness

The timing of this breakthrough could not be better for Madrid. With the internal tension resolved and contract talks moving forward, Vinicius can now focus on regaining his best form on the pitch — and continue chasing the ambitious milestones he has set for himself.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, secure stability around one of their cornerstone players and avoid the threat of a potential transfer saga in 2026.

Nothing is signed yet, but for the first time in months, both sides are aligned.

The saga isn’t over… but the ending might finally be in sight.