VINíCIUS JR. CONFIRMS DESIRE TO STAY AT REAL MADRID DESPITE TRANSFER RUMORS
As Federico Pena arrives in Spain, discover if Vinícius Júnior will finally sign a new Real Madrid contract in 2026.
Vinicius Junior hasn’t hidden how much it stings when his own fans whistle at him. It’s happened three games in a row at the Bernabeu—a tough stretch for anyone, really. But Tuesday night, things changed. He put in a man-of-the-match performance against AS Monaco, and the whistling died down.
After the game, Vinicius didn’t hold back about how much the crowd’s reaction got to him.
“It makes me really sad. I don’t want to get whistled at home. That’s where I’m supposed to feel comfortable, but lately, I haven’t. Every time I make a mistake or play badly, the whistles come. Still, people pay a lot for these tickets, so I get it. I don’t really understand it, but I’m here to keep improving and fighting for this team and this club. They’ve given me so much,” he said to TNT Sports Brasil.
The past year hasn’t been easy for him. Some say missing out on the Ballon d’Or last year marked the start of his dip in form. There’s been talk that he played a role in Xabi Alonso’s exit, which he says he can’t control. He admits he hasn’t been at his best, but he keeps giving everything he’s got.
“I can’t do anything about what people say. All I can do is give my all on the pitch. I’m not always at my technical best, but I always try to help the team. If someone’s not scoring, I’ll try to assist. If I have to defend, I’ll defend. I’m not the team’s best defender, but I do what I can.”
“The press says whatever it wants. Fans feel like they have to criticise me, and maybe that’s part of the deal here. Still, I think the only way to get better is to come home, get welcomed by these fans—the best fans in the world, I always say—and just give them everything. The last year’s been rough because I haven’t played how I want, but you keep going. I want to stay here a long time.”
Then there’s his contract. He’s got 18 months left, and people keep speculating about whether he’ll renew or leave. Vinicius says he wants to stay and that he and President Florentino Perez have a great relationship.
“There’s a lot of talk about my contract, but I’ve got another year here. We’re calm. I trust the president; he trusts me. We’ll sort it out when the time’s right. No rush.”
Now, Vinicius’ agent, Federico Pena, is in Madrid, and contract talks could start up again soon. Whether or not Vinicius had anything to do with Alonso’s exit, people believe that with Alonso gone, negotiations might finally move forward after months of going nowhere.
WHY DID REAL MADRID CHOOSE TO KEEP ENDRICK DESPITE MASSIVE PREMIER LEAGUE INTEREST?
After a stellar loan at Lyon, Endrick will return to Real Madrid this summer alongside Jacobo Ramón to form a new youth core.
Real Madrid has zero plans to let Endrick leave this summer. That’s what we’re hearing, even with Arsenal and Chelsea knocking on their door. We’ve also got some updates on Jacobo Ramon’s future.
Endrick is finishing his loan at Lyon on a high note. He’s put up seven goals and seven assists in just 18 games, and people are excited about what he could do long-term.
The 19-year-old forward from Brazil wanted more game time after struggling for chances with Xabi Alonso in charge at Madrid, so he pushed for a loan. Now, with Alonso gone, Endrick’s focused on forcing his way into Brazil’s World Cup squad, and honestly, the way he’s been playing lately, he’s making a strong argument.
Big clubs are paying attention. Arsenal and Chelsea have both checked in recently to see if Madrid would be open to a deal for him this summer.
But Madrid’s answer? No chance. They’ve told both clubs straight up: Endrick’s coming back to the Bernabéu, and he’s in their first-team plans for next season.
Endrick’s on board with that, too. He wants to stay and fight for a spot, a real chance to prove himself as a regular in Madrid’s lineup.
Florentino Perez backs him all the way; he still believes Endrick is the best young talent out there. The club isn’t about to change its mind.
Endrick’s not the only Madrid youth getting attention from the Premier League. Arsenal and Chelsea have also been checking in about Jacobo Ramon, the young centre-back playing for Como in Italy right now.
Ramon’s been playing alongside Nico Paz under Cesc Fabregas and has done well. Even though he moved from Madrid to Como last summer, Madrid made sure to keep buy-back and sell-on clauses, so it’s almost like he’s still a Madrid player on loan.
Now, the plan is for Ramon to return to Madrid this summer with Endrick and Paz. The club’s looking to keep its young core together and build the future around them.
Lots of clubs are watching Ramon; more than six want to sign him. But honestly, Madrid’s stance is pretty clear: just like with Endrick, they aren’t budging.
So for Arsenal, Chelsea, and anyone else hoping to swoop in, the message is simple. Madrid is keeping their best young talents. They’re not letting them go.
HOW HECTOR BELLERIN’S 94TH-MINUTE STUNNER PUSHED REAL MADRID TO THE TITLE BRINK
Real Madrid's title hopes faded after a 1-1 draw with Real Betis. Discover the impact of Bellerin’s goal and Mbappe’s injury.
Real Madrid’s La Liga dreams took a big hit Friday night when Héctor Bellerín scored a 94th-minute equaliser, earning Real Betis a 1-1 draw. With that late goal, Madrid now sit eight points behind Barcelona, and if Barça win their next match, they could pull even further away with just a handful of games left.
Madrid actually started strong in Seville. Vinícius Jr took advantage of a goalkeeping mistake and put them ahead early in the 17th minute. After that, Madrid had control for large stretches, but it just didn’t translate into goals. Kylian Mbappé had one ruled out for offside, and Jude Bellingham, along with the rest of Madrid’s attack, missed some big chances. It all came back to haunt them when, in the dying seconds, Bellerín capitalised on the chaos at the back and smashed in the equaliser.
People are talking about Madrid’s defence and not in a good way. They’ve failed to keep a clean sheet for ten straight league games. The last time the backline struggled this much in a single season was way back in 2003-04, when Carlos Queiroz was in charge. This run has cost Madrid dearly, with dropped points piling up right when the title race is heating up.
This result marks Madrid’s fifth league draw this season, another missed chance that opens the door for Hansi Flick’s relentless Barcelona to run away with the title. With their Champions League hopes already gone, Madrid are now staring at what could be just their fifth season without a trophy this century. About the only bright spot? Mbappé made his 100th appearance for the club, becoming just the tenth Frenchman to reach that milestone for Madrid. Still, even that was undercut; he limped off with a suspected hamstring injury about ten minutes from the end.
Honestly, the title now looks like a lost cause. If Barcelona beat Getafe, they will go 11 points clear. Madrid has two tough away fixtures next: Espanyol, then Barcelona in a do-or-die El Clásico that could finish off their title hopes for good. With their form stalling and Barça flying, Madrid now need a minor miracle and a huge Barcelona slip-up to avoid ending this season empty-handed.
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