Vinicius Junior’s contract renewal with Real Madrid is no longer the routine matter it was expected to be. Behind the scenes, it has become a complex issue with technical and psychological dimensions that extend far beyond mere figures and salaries. Beneath the apparent calm, the Brazilian star is experiencing growing anxiety about his true place within the club’s new sporting project.
Vinicius doesn’t hide his unease with the current atmosphere in the dressing room and feels that the pivotal role he’s accustomed to is beginning to shift. The arrival of Kylian Mbappé, whom he sees as a key partner and co-leader, isn’t the problem. Rather, it’s what the player perceives as a silent internal threat that could diminish his influence both on and off the pitch, whether in terms of his technical contributions or his symbolic status with the Santiago Bernabéu faithful.
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Sources close to the player indicate that Vinicius has become more sensitive to the competition for attacking positions, especially with the rising demands of the fans and the increasing criticism he’s faced in some matches. This has led him to feel that the spotlight could turn against him at any moment. This feeling has prompted him to set unprecedented conditions before entering into any final agreement to renew his contract.
Delving deeper into the dispute, two names emerge at the heart of the crisis: Rodrygo Goes and Gonzalo. Vinicius, according to sources within the club, sees their presence as a direct threat to his future role,not because of their current form, but because of their playing style, which could offer the coaching staff more balanced attacking options, even in his absence.
The Brazilian star’s real concern is the possibility that Real Madrid might adopt an attacking style that doesn’t rely heavily on him, potentially leading to a gradual decline in his status. For him, the message must be clear and unequivocal: the sporting project must be built around him and Mbappé, without any alternatives that could weaken this focus.
Vinicius’s decision to renew isn’t solely based on the contract’s value or duration, but also on what he calls “guaranteed leadership.” He wants official recognition of his role as a pillar of the team, and clear guarantees of his place in the starting lineup and the club’s long-term vision,on par with Mbappé, or even ahead of the other attacking options.
Real Madrid, for its part, is aware of the sensitivity of the situation but faces a delicate balancing act. Vinicius is a strategic asset that cannot be easily dispensed with, but the club’s historical policy is not to accept conditions that might restrict its plans or threaten its philosophy of relying on collective strength.
Between a player’s insistence on an absolute leadership role and a club balancing star power with technical stability, the Vinicius contract renewal remains open to all possibilities, awaiting a decision that could determine the shape of Real Madrid’s attack in the coming years.
