Real Madrid have a very pressing situation facing them this summer. Los Blancos are in the midst of a huge summer as José Mourinho looks to put his own stamp on his new side, and he is likely to have very different ideas to Xabi Alonso, who was in charge last summer.
We know Real Madrid have all the attacking talent in the world, but they must become harder to break down if they are going to contend with Barcelona for the title, and Mourinho is usually the man for that particular job.
But while new signings will dominate headlines, Los Blancos have a situation they desperately need to take care of.
Vinicius Jr now in the final year of Real Madrid contract
Vinicius Jr is now officially in the final year of his Real Madrid contract, which expires on June 30, 2027. That is of huge concern to anyone connected to the Bernabeu club, with Vinicius clearly a generational talent the club cannot afford to lose.
As with any expiring contract, Vinicius will be able to discuss his future with any club outside of Spain and agree a pre-contract from January 1 unless a new deal is agreed. You have to think PSG fancy their chances of grabbing some Kylian Mbappe revenge should that play out.
Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr contract stance
As far as Real Madrid are concerned, Marca say there is no panic, with the club believing the winger wants to stay. Naturally, they have had no contact with the Brazilian during the World Cup, respecting his desire to concentrate solely on his efforts in North America - and he has performed brilliantly so far.
The report does detail some concerns over the winger's likely asking price, though. They report Vini's contract terms could be as high as 30million euros per season, while he is currently earning betwen 20-25million euros per season.
But if Real Madrid want to agree, it's likely they are going to have to meet his demands, given PSG or another club likely will if they won't. Vinicius knows he is among the very best wingers in the world, and he can name his asking price as a result.
For now, it is a precarious situation, and Real Madrid will not want to allow Vini to go into the new season with only one year remaining. We have seen the winger exasperated with Spain and LaLiga in the past due to abuse from the fans, some of which has been of a natural nature, while other abuse has certainly crossed the line.
There is every chance an issue such as that could see Vinicius decide to leave as long as he is in the last year of his deal, likewise issues on the pitch, or jndeed a managerial fallout could cause a swift change unless he is tied down long term.
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