Real Madrid News
Real Madrid keep all options open with megastar this summer amid contract uncertainty
The 30th of June is upon us, and the date holds a special significance in the world of football as it signals the end of the contract of several players across the globe with their respective clubs.
At the same time, the date also brings one set of players into the final year of their deals, and one such player in the Real Madrid dressing room is Vinicius Jr.
The Brazilian star was close to reaching an agreement with the club over a contract extension, but a mismatch in financial expectations saw the deal stall unexpectedly.
As of today, his deal still ends next summer and he will officially enter the final year of his contract as of tomorrow.
All options open
Vinicius and Real Madrid are both keen to continue working with each other amid all the negotiation tensions.
As reported by Mundo Deportivo, however, the club continue to keep all their options open.
While their preference is indeed to reach an agreement with the star winger, they do not rule out placing him on the market this summer should the right offer arrive.
What they are clear about is that he will not leave as a free agent next summer, and there will either have to be a renewal or a departure before that.
It is indeed a remote possibility that Vinicius leaves this summer, and all signs point to him staying and even renewing.
His World Cup campaign, however, may attract some lucrative offers with the economic terms he demands – something that cannot be overlooked.
From Real Madrid’s perspective, negotiations with the player will restart after the World Cup and the singular objective will be to reach an agreement over a renewal.
A priority for the club
The primary reason why talks between the club and player reached a standstill were Vinicius’ salary demands. He asked to be placed on the same slab as Kylian Mbappe, something the club did not agree to.
Further, he asked for a renewal bonus to be paid which the administration are not open to sanctioning at the moment.
His FIFA World Cup performances, however, have not gone unnoticed and the club are keeping a keen eye on how he is rediscovering his best version.
They have already labelled his renewal as a new ‘priority’ operation, and it is not ruled out that they will up their economic terms seeing his standout performances.
After a month into the new season, Aurelien Tchouameni is finally back in action for Real Madrid.
The Frenchman made his first appearance of the season for the Merengues last night against Inter Milan after recovering from the muscular injury that delayed his campaign.
His return to fitness had raised questions over where he would fit into Mourinho’s plans.
Tchouameni has been a regular in Real Madrid’s midfield for several seasons under different managers, but the end of last season was far less straightforward.
His confrontation with Federico Valverde, combined with speculation over his future at the club, created uncertainty about his position. His lack of a proper pre-season also appeared to put him behind other midfield options.
Bernardo Silva had established himself as an important figure, while Eduardo Camavinga was also ahead of Tchouameni in terms of match fitness.
With Real Madrid looking for greater creativity in midfield, there were questions over whether the Frenchman would still be a first-choice player.
Key for Mourinho
According to AS (h/t Bernabeu Digital), however, Mourinho has no such doubts. Tchouameni remains a key player for the Portuguese coach and is expected to be a starter.
Mourinho sees the French international as a midfielder without a direct replacement in the squad.
For Jose, Tchouameni provides something that none of the other midfielders in the squad do – a more defensive and positional presence, combining his tactical discipline with considerable physical strength.
His ability to shield the defence and provide balance could be particularly important for a Real Madrid side that want to defend aggressively and attack quickly in transition.
For that reason, his absence at the start of the campaign has not changed the manager’s view of his importance.
Mourinho faces a midfield selection problem
The challenge for Mourinho now is finding a way to fit all the pieces together.
If Tchouameni is guaranteed a starting position and Valverde is considered untouchable as captain, the obvious consequence is that Bernardo could find himself starting from the bench.
The summer arrival had been given an important role in helping Real Madrid control and distribute possession from deeper positions.
However, with Tchouameni and Valverde both occupying midfield places, Mourinho cannot accommodate everyone in the same lineup.
How the Portuguese coach manages that competition will be interesting to see in the coming weeks.
