The Brazilian international has proposed to the Los Blancos management that his salary should be on par with Kylian Mbappé's, a demand that has plunged contract renewal talks into a deadlock.
Vinícius has made it clear to Real Madrid that he hopes his salary will match that of fellow forward Mbappé as a condition for renewal. This is also the key reason why, as of July 25, the renewal has not been finalized and negotiations have hit a stalemate.
In fact, the two sides had originally reached a consensus on a contract midway through the season. However, in recent communications between Vinícius' agent and Real Madrid, his side suddenly put forward a higher salary demand, which came as quite a surprise to the club. Yet Real Madrid remained unflustered and maintained a calm attitude.
Real Madrid is greatly surprised by Vinícius' high salary request, especially given that his performance last season was far from outstanding and he failed to hit his best form. Even so, the club has stayed calm, believing there is still time to mend their relationship and continue negotiations.
For Vinícius, the upcoming season represents a crucial opportunity to re-prove his ability, which he hopes will serve as a basis for a pay rise. However, even then, Real Madrid has no intention of letting his salary reach Mbappé's level.
If the two sides ultimately fail to reach an agreement, Real Madrid will consider selling him to secure a large transfer fee. Previously, Saudi parties made a €200 million offer for Vinícius, and this fund could become key for club president Florentino Pérez to enable Mbappé to partner with another world-class striker like Erling Haaland.
Currently, Vinícius' contract renewal has completely ground to a halt. The two sides had previously agreed to set variable clauses based on goals, targets and awards, which would have put his salary second in the team, only behind Mbappé. But now, Vinícius is no longer satisfied with being "second" and is demanding to be the highest-earning player in the squad, causing the talks to come to a total standstill.
