Real Madrid Freezes Negotiations to Renew Vinicius' Contract Due to Mbappe

Spanish reports have revealed that negotiations to renew the contract of Brazilian star Vinicius Junior with Real Madrid have reached a complete standstill due to his financial demands, amid concerns within the club about potential implications on the team's balance, especially after the arrival of French player Kylian Mbappe.

Vinicius had previously expressed his desire to stay, saying: "I hope that the negotiations will be finalized in the coming days. Talking about renewing with Real Madrid is exciting. I have a contract until 2027, and I have always said that I want to stay here for a long time and make history with this club."

However, the Spanish newspaper "AS" clarified that Real Madrid asked the player's agent, Federico Pena, to specify the amount required to renew the contract. After Vinicius conveyed the number to the management, the negotiations came to a complete halt.

The player requested to increase his annual salary to 20 million euros, which is only a 5 million increase from his current average salary of 15 million euros, under his current contract signed in 2022, announced in October 2023.

Vinicius' current contract includes escalating clauses, starting with an annual salary of 10 million euros, expected to reach 18 million euros in his final season, in addition to bonuses of up to 2 million euros annually if he wins individual awards like the Ballon d'Or or FIFA's Best.

The main issue facing Real Madrid's management now is that Vinicius would become the highest-paid player in the team if his request is approved, surpassing the new star Mbappe who earns an annual salary of 15 million euros.

Nevertheless, the newspaper indicates that Mbappe's huge signing bonus of 40 million euros, distributed over his five-year contract period, can be considered part of his annual salary, complicating the comparison.

The dynamics within the dressing room have changed since Mbappe's arrival, with increasing talk from those around the club that combining Vinicius and Mbappe in the long term may not be easy, both technically and in terms of role balance and stardom.