​Manchester United sit among Europe’s elite clubs that are closely tracking the situation of Brazilian superstar Vinicius Jr. at Real Madrid, according to a fresh report. Real Madrid have spent months negotiating a new contract with the 25-year-old winger, whose current deal runs until 2027, a detail that has put several top clubs, including the Red Devils, on high alert. The Spanish giants have made it clear to Vinicius, who left the World Cup alongside Casemiro and Matheus Cunha last weekend, that he must sign a new extension or risk being sold this summer.
Well-placed sources say Madrid are prepared to raise his basic salary from about £350,000 per week to a package surpassing £400,000 weekly, per TEAMtalk. Such an increase would leave only Kylian Mbappe with a higher weekly earnings figure in Madrid. However, negotiations are described as “at a standstill,” with fresh talks planned now that Brazil’s North American campaign has concluded. The obstacle is Vinicius’s reported demand for a salary closer to £500,000 per week, which cools any immediate prospects of a breakthrough.
There is also a growing sense that Vinicius may be a poor fit alongside Mbappe, despite the two attackers insisting publicly that they can coexist. Both players are world-class talents capable of breaking down defenses on their own and enjoyed standout individual seasons. Yet they are accustomed to being the team’s primary focus, the superstar whom teammates rely on to supply the decisive moment. Having two players of such caliber—and, more importantly, with such strong egos—has arguably made Madrid’s balance more brittle, especially since neither is a willing runner once possession is ceded.
If Vinicius does not yield on his wage demands, Real Madrid are believed to think that selling the No. 7 now would strengthen the squad far more than letting his contract wind down next season. This fuels the possibility that one of football’s brightest talents could become unexpectedly available on the market this summer.
TEAMtalk reports Vinicius’s representatives have informed Madrid’s hierarchy that there are “no shortage of alternatives” for the winger, with Manchester United joined by Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City in being kept informed about the situation. Elsewhere in Europe, Bayern Munich are understood to be “firm admirers” as the Bundesliga champions weigh up up-front reinforcements after seeing FC Barcelona hijack their bid for Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon. Paris Saint-Germain had previously been connected with Vinicius, though the Ligue 1 giants are progress­ing a deal for RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande. There is already a queue at the Parc des Princes for left-wing options, underscoring the heated summer market surrounding one of the sport’s brightest stars.