He pays his own salary! 16 reasons pushing Real Madrid to renew Vinicius's contract

Vinícius Júnior

A painful blow for Arsenal?

Spanish newspaper "AS" reports that Real Madrid are pushing hard to renew the contract of Brazilian star Vinicius Junior in the coming period. The move reflects the management's desire to keep one of its biggest stars both on and off the pitch, especially now that the Brazilian has become a huge source of profit from his image rights. The club currently owns around 50% of those rights, effectively making him "pay his own salary", according to sources close to the Whites.

Frederico Pena, CEO of Roc Nation Sports Brazil, the agency that manages Vinicius's career, put it plainly: "the number of brands interested in Vini's image is constantly increasing". He stressed that the Brazilian, "despite his young age, is a key player at the biggest club in the world and in the most important national team, and has been crowned a champion and star in the Champions League twice, and is a role model in perseverance and sporting success".

A successful investment

Real Madrid want to lock down the future of Vinicius, who joined from Flamengo in the summer of 2017 for 45 million euros. That deal now looks like one of the most successful transfers in recent memory. The 25-year-old has played 375 matches for the Whites, scoring 128 goals and providing 85 assists, alongside his pivotal role in winning the last two Champions League titles.

What drives the renewal, according to "AS", goes well beyond his sporting achievements. The commercial and marketing side matters just as much. The Brazil international has become a central figure at Real Madrid and a huge source of profit from his image rights, of which the club currently owns close to 50% following the 2022 renewal.

16 sponsors and 100 million views

Vinicius carries exceptional marketing power. It made him one of the football players most fortunate with sponsors at the last World Cup, where his tally reached 16, placing him second only to Neymar's 20. Most of the brands attached to the striker are major companies or multinational corporations.

Since joining the Brazil national team, Vinicius has published promotional content for some of his brands that has garnered more than 100 million views. That is a clear indicator of the huge marketing power he possesses, and one of the main reasons behind Real Madrid's desire to renew his contract and secure his future at the club.

A huge organisational structure: Vinicius is a "company" in himself

Pena revealed that Vinicius has now reached a status that rivals that of companies, given the way his professional interests are managed. "There is an organisational structure that includes a CEO, a financial director, and administrative, legal, commercial, marketing and communications departments overseeing everything, and there are dozens of initiatives involving many sponsors, in addition to social activities centred around his institute, which is now a global leader in innovative teaching methods for children and young people", he added.

That vast structure, combined with the large financial return Vinicius earns from his image rights, is one of the main reasons Real Madrid want to renew. The club owns almost half of those rights, so keeping the player represents a successful financial investment over the long term.

Fighting racism: added value to the brand

For some experts, Vinicius's stances and actions in fighting racism, always precise and strong, have made him even more attractive to companies as an official spokesperson. That enhances his marketing value and makes him more appealing to Real Madrid as a player and a commercial symbol at the same time.

Renewing Vinicius's contract with Real Madrid now looks like nothing more than a matter of time, according to "AS". The step reflects the Whites' desire to keep one of its most prominent sporting and commercial stars, a man who has become a successful investment on every front, on and off the pitch.