The signs that Vinicius Jr's relationship with Xabi Alonso's wasn't going to run smoothly were there almost immediately. Had Trent Alexander-Arnold not suffered an injury the day before Real Madrid's Club World Cup semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain, the new Blancos boss was planning to bench his Brazilian winger, preferring instead to hand homegrown forward Gonzalo Garcia a start up front alongside Kylian Mbappe.
Alexander-Arnold's injury forced Fede Valverde to cover at right-back, Arda Guler back into midfield and opened up a spot on the right-hand side of the attack for Vinicius to fill. However, the 2024 Ballon d'Or runner-up was anonymous as PSG opened up a three-goal lead inside 24 minutes on their way to a 4-0 win in New Jersey. Alonso insisted post-match that the team that had just been thrashed by the newly-crowned European champions was not his and rather Carlo Ancelotti's, and that a new dawn would arrive in the Spanish capital once the newly-appointed coach could properly knuckle down and get to grips with his squad.
Part of that revolution has led to Vinicius' role at the Bernabeu being diminished. The Brazilian who thrived under the freedom offered by Ancelotti has struggled to adapt to Alonso's much more structured approach. Vinicius has completed 90 minutes on just five occasions since the start of the 2025-26 campaign, and contributed just five goals and four assists in 17 appearances thus far.
Vinicius' frustrations have been clear, and it was reported on Monday that he has no intention of signing a new contract in Madrid unless his relationship with Alonso improves, meaning he would theoretically become a free agent in the summer of 2027. If things don't change, it's clear Vinicius sees no future for himself in Madrid white.
That is a real shame. Vinicius is a wonderful footballer who should grow to be synonymous with Madrid for years to come. However, the tactical issues caused by having him and Mbappe in the same side have been clear for over a year now, and this very well could be the necessary separation both he and the club need.
Getty ImagesUndervalued
The first thing that needs to be established is that Vinicius has every right to feel undervalued by Madrid. He was offered a contract two years ago, according to , and turned it down, feeling that he was worth more than the deal on the table. He had every right to do so, too. With Karim Benzema gone and Jude Bellingham having only just arrived, Vinicius was the future of the club, the sole star and a Ballon d'Or winner in the making.
Madrid reportedly offered Vinicius around €20 million per season at the time, but he argued that he was worth closer to €30m. That's astronomical money, but it's also how negotiation works. Here was a player vouching for what he believed was his market value; there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Vinicius and his team went back to the negotiating table at the start of this season, but weren't able to come to an agreement. Finances remained an issue, but the strained relationship with Alonso undercut those talks.
Vinicius does not want to play in a team where he is not considered the star man. He will, undoubtedly, be vilified for this in some corners for holding such a lofty opinion of himself, especially given the repeated attacks on his character that are often unfair and, in too many cases, racially motivated.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe Mbappe problem
Vinicius' refusal to pen a new deal isn't exactly an immense surprise – strained relationship with the manager or not. From day one, it seemed a foolish decision to bring in Mbappe when Vinicius was already established in the Madrid team. They were – and remain – the two best left wingers in world football, effectively playing slightly different versions of the same position. Vinicius starts a little wider, dribbles more, and cuts in, while Mbappe likes to stride in the left channel, though he can also certainly take on his man. So often during Mbappe's debut season in Madrid, the two ran into the same spaces.
By the end of it all, Ancelotti almost gave up and played them as a front two, trusting that the world-class duo would work it out. However, neither player seemed particularly keen to pass to one another, nor did they work anywhere near hard enough off the ball to make Madrid a solid defensive unit. Mbappe did break the record for the most goals in a Madrid debut season (43), yet his arrival certainly made the defending Spanish and European champions worse.
Mbappe has carried that form into the new campaign having taken up a permanent central role under Alonso, but Vinicius form has continued to nosedive. Since the turn of the year, he has scored just 11 goals in 40 La Liga and Champions League appearances, while his most notable contribution of the current campaign came when he reacted furiously to being substituted in El Clasico on October 26. Vinicius later apologised but, as many noted, Alonso was not mentioned in his statement.
"You have to get the best out of the players and make them feel as good as possible," Alonso said ahead of Madrid's Champions League clash with Olympiacos on Wednesday as he refused to be drawn into specifics related to Vinicius. "It has different facets, but you have to know how to navigate them well. That happens at Real Madrid and at any team."
Getty Images SportSaudis his only suitors?
Despite all his talent, the options open to Vinicius in terms of a next club look to be limited. Talk of interest from the Saudi Pro League has rumbled on for over a year now, and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) reportedly entered preliminary talks with Madrid back in the summer of 2024. Vinicius, though, wasn't interested.
That may have been true back then, but things have changed now – if only because Vinicius has so few other options. His release clause is €1 billion (£888m/$1.16bn) – a mark that not even the richest clubs in the world can afford. A bid from Al-Ittihad in the realm of €350m was floated back in July, but nothing ever came of it.
Vinicius is now, however, entering the final 18 months of his deal, and so while Madrid would still be able to command something pretty astronomical for their No.7, his value diminishes with every week that passes. Perhaps if he remained unhappy through to the summer then the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea or PSG could get involved in a bidding war, but thus far none of Europe's elite have been reported as being interested.
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Getty ImagesTactical benefits
The immediate obvious beneficiary of Vinicius leaving would be Mbappe. The France captain has, in fairness, adopted his central role willingly and thrived while doing so, with Mbappe currently on pace to score 50-plus goals in all competitions this season.
Yet even then he is being misused. Mbappe, try as Madrid might, is simply not a striker. He received plenty of criticism for his not-so-subtle plea to France manager Didier Deschamps to let him play alongside a striker at international level, but Mbappe was right: he is best either in a front two or out wide, running off a big No.9. And it just so happens that Alonso tends to prefer such a system. His Bayer Leverkusen sides utilised big centre-forwards – Victor Boniface was the standout – with creative playmakers running off them.
Vinicius departing would also offer new opportunities for Rodrygo. The Brazilian has slipped down the Madrid pecking order despite his immense talent, but there would likely be more minutes for him – perhaps even in his preferred position on the left-hand side – were his compatriot to leave.
Furthermore, Jude Bellingham could play as a proper No.10, Arda Guler might be able to push further up the pitch at times and there would be more space for Nico Paz, who is expected to re-join Madrid from Como next summer, to play his way into contention. Alonso, above all, craves tactical flexibility and being able to switch between multiple formations within one game. Having one less superstar to deal with could make his dreams come true.