REAL MADRID
Vinicius: "I want to stay at Real Madrid for a long time"
The Real Madrid forward spoke about his future to TNT's Esporte Interativo. His contract with the LaLiga giants runs until 2024.
Real Madrid signed Vinicius Junior from Brazilian club Flamengo for €45 million when he was just 16 years old. This is the young forward's fourth season with Los Blancos, and without a doubt, his best season so far in his short career. He is Madrid's second highest goalscorer after Karim Benzema, with nine goals in 2021/22.
Key man for Real Madrid
Vinicius is one of the first names on Carlo Ancelott's teamsheet every week. His contract at the Santiago Bernabéu runs until 2024 and there is already talk of a new deal. Speaking in an interview with Tatiana Mantovani on TNT Brasil's Esporte Interativo programme, Vinicius was very honest and clear about his future.
"They [Real Madrid] haven't said anything to me. I'm very calm because there's still a lot of time left. Of course I want to renew. Of course I want to stay here for a long time, but I'm very calm about it. The contract I currently have is the one I had when I was 16 years old. It doesn't matter when I'm going to renew or how much I'm going to earn, what matters is the satisfaction of being at the best club in the world."
Federico Peña, Vinicius' agent, recently told Globo Sporte: "The normal thing for a player who signs for five or six years is that when there is two years left, talks over a contract renewal begin. What will happen? I don't know. It all depends on the club."
Vinicius one of lowest earners at Madrid
Vinicius currently earns €3.2 million net per season, a figure that could be increased to €4 million. According to Goal, he is among the five lowest earners at Madrid. Peña has made it clear that Vinicius deserves a substantial improvement: "We don't really know what the salaries of the other players are. Let's say he's in the bottom third. He was signed at the age of 16. He is the only player signed by Real Madrid without having played a professional game. Maybe it's better for him that he has this contract, that he's not among the highest at the moment, and that, when it's increased, maybe he'll move into the top third."