Real Madrid frustration grows over Vinicius renewal as Diomande deal nears completion

Real Madrid’s patience over Vinicius Junior’s contract demands is being severely tested, with the Brazilian forward now into the final year of his deal while the club closes in on a €120m move for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande.

Twelve months ago, figures close to Real Madrid regarded Vinicius’s renewal as virtually a formality, convinced an agreement would be wrapped up without difficulty.

However, people within the player’s own camp were less surprised by the current deadlock, having long been aware of the scale of Vinicius’s financial demands and the conditions he has set for committing his future to the Bernabeu.

Those concerns have now materialised. A year on, there is still no extension in place and Vinicius has entered the final season of his contract, with the positions of club and player described as being far apart.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Real Madrid have rejected a key element of the 24-year-old’s request – a €15m signing-on bonus he wants as part of any new agreement.

Diomande pursuit underlines Madrid’s stance

The club’s response in the transfer market is being interpreted in Spain as a clear signal of its intentions. Real Madrid are pushing ahead to sign RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, who is represented by the same agency as Vinicius.

Both players are managed by Roc Nation, and Madrid are now on the verge of completing a deal worth €120m for the Ivory Coast international – an amount Sport reports is the same figure Florentino Perez previously flagged during his presidential election campaign as a reference price for a marquee signing.

The progress on Diomande contrasts sharply with the stagnation around Vinicius’s future and is seen as a message from the hierarchy about the limits of what the club is prepared to offer in contract talks.

Roc Nation talks set for Madrid

Roc Nation representatives are expected to travel to Madrid on Monday to finalise the formalities of Diomande’s transfer to the Spanish champions.

That visit comes while Vinicius’s situation remains unresolved and his file still very much open, at a time when Real Madrid are undergoing what is described as a significant period of internal transition.

Within that shifting landscape, the club’s refusal to accept a €15m signing-on fee and its readiness to invest heavily in a potential positional rival underline how far relations over Vinicius’s renewal have drifted from the confident mood of a year ago.