Vinícius Júnior’s ongoing contract talks with Real Madrid have the club reportedly concerned over a coming “wage war” between the Brazilian, Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham.
Even though his current contract is still active for two more years, Vinícius Júnior and his team have already begun negotiations with Real Madrid for a new deal. Both the winger and the club are eager to secure Vinícius Júnior’s long-term future in a white shirt well before the 2027 deadline.
Still, discussions have reportedly been “on hold and up in the air” over the last five months due to wage demands from Vinícius Júnior. According to AS, the 24-year-old currently makes an average salary of €15 million ($17.4 million), but he is asking for near €20 million ($23.3 million) net per season moving forward.
The €5 million ($5.8 million) increase might not seem like a large leap for Real Madrid, especially after the Brazil international played pivotal roles in bringing home Los Blancos’ 14th and 15th Champions League titles, among numerous other trophies.
The increased wage, though, would make Vinícius Júnior the highest paid player on the team in terms of base salary, surpassing even Mbappé; the Frenchman earns €15 million ($17.4 million) in wages per season.
There would be nothing stopping Mbappé, then, from demanding more money from Real Madrid. After all, the France captain outperformed Vinícius Júnior last season, bagging 44 goals across all competitions and winning the Pichichi Trophy, along with the European Golden Boot.
Jude Bellingham could also come to the table in search of an increased salary as well. The midfielder found the back of the net 15 times in the 2024–25 season, only seven less than Vinícius Júnior’s 22-goal haul. The England international also has one of the highest work-rates on the team.
The potential domino effect is exactly what Real Madrid want to avoid. AS report the club does not “want to break the salary scale” with Vinícius Júnior’s new deal.
Either Real Madrid or the superstar forward, though, will have to compromise if they want to make real headway in renewal discussions.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Salary War’—Why Real Madrid Are Stalling Vinicius Junior’s Contract Renewal.