Vinicius Junior has agreed to renew his contract with Real Madrid, with the club expected to announce the forward’s new deal by the end of the week, according to The Athletic.
Madrid and Vinicius held talks on Wednesday, with the Brazil international offered a package that reflects his importance to the club. The 26-year-old has chosen to remain at the Bernabeu, ending Arsenal’s hopes of signing him.
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Arsenal had identified Vinicius as a top target after winning the Premier League last season, while Liverpool were also linked with the winger earlier in the transfer window.
The renewal provides stability for Real Madrid after a summer of major changes, including the arrival of new head coach Jose Mourinho and several new signings.
Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, former Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate, Carlos Espi and Denzel Dumfries have all arrived as new signings.
The club have also completed the signing of winger Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig and are working on a deal for Manchester City midfielder Rodri, although the Spain international is now reportedly favouring a move to rivals Barcelona.
Since joining Madrid from Flamengo in 2018, Vinicius has made 375 appearances, scoring 128 goals and providing 100 assists.
He has won three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies. The forward scored 22 goals in all competitions last season as Madrid ended the campaign without a major trophy.
Speaking to Real Madrid TV on Tuesday after his first training session back with the team following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Vinicius said: “(I’m) very well, getting to know the new manager, the new players, and working really hard in training. (Mourinho) wants me to be just as I’ve always been: happy, positive, and playing my own style of football.”
A renewal was always considered the most likely outcome, with both Real Madrid and Vinicius Junior prioritising a continued partnership.
However, there were periods of uncertainty, with months passing without progress after talks first began in January 2025.
For Madrid, keeping Vinicius represents a major success, securing one of the world’s best players who recorded 22 goals and 14 assists last season, while also retaining one of the club’s biggest commercial figures.