Updated: 6 May 2026 19:39 BST |
5 min read
Vinicius Junior has told Real Madrid that things need to change in order for him to commit his future to the club by signing a new contract extension, according to reports in Spain.
The 25-year-old’s long-term future remains up in the air with his current Real terms due to expire in the summer of 2027, with The Athletic reporting that renewal discussions have hit the buffers.
Vinicius has endured a difficult season at the Bernabeu, with the Brazil international having been targeted with regular jeers by the Real fanbase following a dismal 2025-26 campaign for the club.
Los Blancos are set to record their second successive trophyless campaign, with the club currently 11 points behind fierce rivals Barcelona in La Liga with just four games remaining.
Real were also beaten by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals, while Alvaro Arbeloa’s men suffered an embarrassing reverse to second division side Albacete in the Copa del Rey round of 16.
Vinicius fell out with Xabi Alonso earlier in the campaign, before the Spaniard was replaced as Real head coach by Arbeloa in January.
The former Flamengo star reacted angrily to being substituted by Alonso in Real’s 2-1 victory over Barcelona last October, with DAZN cameras picking him up saying: “Always me! I’m leaving the team! It’s better if I leave, I’m leaving.”
And while Vinicius later apologised to Real supporters for his outburst, he has still been on the receiving end of whistles from the Bernabeu faithful, even in the absence of Alonso from the touchline.
With speculation rife regarding Vinicius’ future, Spanish outlet Radio Marca are now reporting that the forward has made it clear to the Real hierarchy that he will not renew his contract if changes are not made this summer.
The report claims Vinicius does not only want his salary to change but rather he also feels “restrained” at the Spanish giants, and wants the mood around the club to lift before deciding whether to sign a new deal.
Despite what has been a tumultuous season for all parties, Vinicius has still scored 21 times in all competitions for Real, which is just three short of his best goalscoring season for the club, when he found the back of the net on 24 occasions in 2023-24.
Vinicius will be looking to continue his rich vein of goalscoring form when Real travel to Barcelona for the final El Clasico of the season at Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday evening.
He has scored four goals in his last three league appearances for Real, following up his strikes against Alaves and Real Betis in April by bagging a brace in the 2-0 victory over Espanyol at the start of this month.
Analysis: Vinicius-Real talks may not resume until after the World Cup
While Vinicius looks to finish the season strongly for Real, linking up with Brazil for this summer’s World Cup could prove to be a nice distraction from speculation surrounding his future.
All eyes will be on Vinicius in North America as the Selecao go in search of their sixth World Cup under Carlo Ancelotti – the manager who played a significant role in helping the forward become a superstar at Real.
According to ESPN, Vinicius and Real may not resume contract discussions until after the World Cup, though he did express his desire to remain in the Spanish capital earlier in the year.
In quotes carried by the same publication, Vinicius said: “I want to stay here for a long time. There’s also a lot of talk about my contract renewal because I have another year left. We’re very relaxed about it.
“I trust [Real Madrid president Florentino Perez], and he trusts me. We have a very good relationship, and we’ll sort things out at the right time. We’re in no hurry to do that.”
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