Xabi Alonso’s departure may not have brought many changes on the pitch yet, but it is expected to have an impact off it. With the arrival of Álvaro Arbeloa, relations between him and the Real Madrid squad start from scratch, and this situation could also open the door to clarifying Vinicius Junior’s future.
The Brazilian has just 18 months left on his contract, and Los Blancos already have an offer on the table for him. That offer has been in place since last spring, but Vinicius’ camp is demanding a salary on par with that of Kylian Mbappé. However, Alonso’s departure could create room for new negotiations.
Talks have been frozen since the summer, when Vinicius raised his demands, but according to Cadena SER, Real Madrid are considering restarting negotiations before the end of January. Although the club operates under the belief that Vinicius will not sign a new deal before the end of the season, the club’s hierarchy believes he will ultimately renew his contract. Real Madrid are determined to keep Vinicius, and the player himself has always publicly stated that he wants to remain at the Bernabéu.
Earlier in the season, it was reported that Vinicius had hinted to president Florentino Pérez that he would not consider renewing his contract as long as Xabi Alonso remained in charge of the team. Vinicius felt he had been treated unfairly by Alonso at the beginning, and his dissatisfaction became evident in the match against Barcelona, when he was substituted and shouted: “It’s better if I leave.”
Vinicius later apologized for his behavior, but not to Alonso, and he was one of the players who did not publicly bid farewell to the coach. Although it was claimed publicly that their relationship had improved, the pair did not appear to have the best relationship with one another.
