Real Madrid to reward Vinicius with new contract

Real Madrid couldn’t be happier with how last season turned out for Vinicius and the winger will be rewarded when the time comes to renew his contract. Vini joined when he was still only 18 and is one of the lowest paid members of the first team squad, earning around three million euros net. But last season was his best so far. In Madrid’s attack, Vinicius’ figures are second only to Benzema’s, and the club will have that in mind when they review his contract. Madrid will offer him an extension, to June 2026 or 2027 (probably the latter) and will also award him a significant pay rise putting him in the medium-high bracket within the squad.

Madrid will be renewing Vinicius’ contract not only for his performances out on the pitch and his excellent attitude - it will also act as a deterrent to fend off clubs like PSG who might try to lure him away. Madrid feel that Vini has earned a new contract and was crucial to the team’s success in LaLiga and the Champions League - so much so that he is among the candidates to win this year’s Ballon d’Or. In the club’s back offices, the general consensus is that Benzema deserves to win the award - he eneded the season with 44 goals and 15 assists in 46 games, including 15 goals in the Champions League - the tournament’s top scorer. But Madrid know that Vinicius will be in the Top 10 at least.

Ballon d’Or podium

Vini has a good chance of ending up on the Ballon d’Or podium - as his figures show: 22 goals and 20 assists last season. He played a key role in Madrid’s European campaign he provided one assist in the Last 16, two in the quarter finals, scored in the semis and hit the winner in the final. In LaLiga, he played a direct role in 30 of the team’s goals, scoring 17 and setting up another 13.

As for the players he will be up against for the Ballon d’Oro. Lewandowski scored 50 goals, but Bayern were eliminated from the Champions League at the quarter final stage; Mbappé finished on 39, but PSG bowed out at the Last 16. Mo Salah ended as the joint-top scorer in England but Liverpool failed to win the Premier League and Champions League and that will go against him. Vinicius’ main rivals will be De Bruyne and Courtois.