Vinícius Júnior is close to agreeing to a new contract at Real Madrid, a source has told ESPN, with a deal which would keep the forward at the club until 2030.
A meeting between the player’s representatives and Madrid executives took place this week, the source said, and the figures being asked for by the player, and offered by the club, are now close.
Vinícius would earn €20 million ($22.5m) per season after tax, which could rise to €30 million ($33.8m) including bonuses, the source said.
The deal would make him the club’s highest earner.
Vinícius’ current deal, which is due to expire in June 2027, was agreed in 2022 and made official a year later.
Since then, he has been recognised as one of the world’s best players, winning FIFA’s The Best Men’s Player award last year, and finishing runner-up in the Ballon d’Or.
ESPN has reported that the player considered a lucrative approach last summer from the Saudi Pro League, postponing a decision on his future until this year.
However, ESPN reported last month that such a move was now increasingly unlikely, with no fresh contact from the Saudis since December, and talks underway over a new Madrid deal.
The way the new contract is structured, with an emphasis on bonuses, enables the club to get closer to the salary Vinícius had been asking for, without overly distorting its wage structure — a similar approach to the one used to sign Kylian Mbappé last summer.
Vinícius joined Madrid as a teenager in 2018, and has since won three LaLiga titles and two Champions Leagues, scoring in both finals.
He has faced some criticism for his performances this season, but has still scored 11 goals in 28 league games, as well as an impressive eight goals in 12 Champions League appearances.
