Money doesn't matter - Vinicius Jr offers Real Madrid contract update
Martin Macdonald
- 1 Nov 2021 17:48 GMT
- 5 min read
Vinicius Junior has pledged his immediate future to Real Madrid, saying money will be no object during contract negotiations with the Spanish giants.
The Brazilian moved from Flamengo in 2018 for a fee of €45 million and is still within his first contract with the club which runs until 2024.
Though it has three years remaining, Real Madrid and Vinicius Junior himself are keen on a new contract to be agreed upon as he is currently one of the lowest paid members of the squad at Santiago Bernabeu, earning a reported €3.2m per season.
Though he naturally took time to adjust to Spanish football after moving at such a young age, he has now emerged as one of Real Madrid's key players.
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When he wasn't at his best, speculation mounted that Los Blancos could look to sell him to raise funds for the acquisition of a Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland.
Liverpool and Chelsea were mentioned as two interested suitors, but nothing materialised from the rumours.
Vinicius insists he wants to stay at what he calls the best club in the world.
“I'm very calm, I want to stay and I don't care how long my next contract will be or how much they will pay me," he told reporters on Monday.
"All that matters to me is the satisfaction of being in the best club in the world.”
Vinicius Junior's start to the season
Vinicius has been in sensational form for Real Madrid in 2021/22, scoring nine goals and recording three assists in 12 starts in all competitions.
He has developed into a real match winner for his club, as highlighted by his two-goal tally against Elche at the weekend.
The Brazilian scored both goals as Real Madrid narrowly won 2-1.
For the first, scored in the 22nd minute, he latched on to a flick from Mariano Diaz and ran through on goal before lashing a finish across the goalkeeper into the bottom corner, and with his weaker left foot.
He doubled his tally in the 72nd minute with a gorgeous finish, running towards the byline before dinking the ball over the oncoming keeper.
There are only nine players from within Europe's top five leagues who have scored more goals than Vinicius, and most of them are centre-forwards.
His development has been so impressive recently that he is undisputed first choice pick for Carlo Ancelotti on the left-hand side of the attack, so much so that €146.1m man Eden Hazard has been relegated to the bench.
Ancelotti even said recently that Hazard is effectively free to leave, clearly happy for the Belgian to move on due to Vinicius' status.
