How Vinicius Jr’s Ruthless Taunt to Diego Simeone Ties Into His Stalled Contract Talks

The Real Madrid star has yet to lock down a new deal with the club.

Vinicius Junior did not bite his tongue on Sunday evening. | Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

After bagging a brace to lead Real Madrid to victory over city rivals Atlético Madrid, Vinicius Junior couldn’t help but taunt Diego Simeone on the touchline.

When the No. 7 came off the pitch in the 87th minute on Sunday evening, he passed the Argentine on his way to the bench, chanting, “They’re going to sell me, they’re going to sell me.”

DAZN picked up the moment, which was a call back to the Spanish Super Cup semifinals in January, when Simeone tried to provoke Vinicius Jr by telling him, “Florentino [Pérez] was going to sell him.”

At the time, the Brazilian forward was in the middle of a 16-game goal drought, playing nowhere near to his level under the leadership of former boss Xabi Alonso. Although Real Madrid wound up winning the Madrid derby in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Vinicius Jr was a glorified spectator in the match.

Three months later, the 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up got his revenge on Simeone, scoring two goals to help Real Madrid secure a 3–2 comeback victory to keep the 15-time European champions in the La Liga title race.

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Vinicius Jr Back at His Best Under Arbeloa—But Can It Last?

Vinicius Jr continues to deliver on the biggest of stages for Real Madrid. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Vinicius Jr’s struggles in the first half of the season are nothing more than a distant memory now. The 25-year-old is back to being the most dangerous player on the pitch for Los Blancos, tallying 14 goal contributions—12 goals and two assists—in 2026.

Álvaro Arbeloa has not been shy about his support and admiration for Vinicius Jr, taking an extensively different approach than Alonso’s tense management of the Brazil international. The new boss has given the winger back the keys to the attack, and it’s paying off for Real Madrid.

So much of Vinicius Jr’s recent success has come without Kylian Mbappé on the pitch, though, raising some concerns now that the Frenchman is back healthy and expected to slot into the XI once domestic action resumes in April. Suddenly, the two stars will be forced to work together again, something that has proved rather difficult over the last two seasons.

With the Champions League quarterfinals against Bayern Munich swiftly approaching, there won’t be much time for Arbeloa to work out any kinks in his system should Vinicius Jr regress with the return of Mbappé.

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Where Vinicius Jr’s Contract Renewal Stands

Vinicius Jr has yet to lock down his future at Real Madrid. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

As Vinicius Jr rediscovered his form, rumblings of a potential transfer died down. With his contract set to expire in 2027, the Brazilian’s future seemed anything but certain, especially when extension talks halted while Alonso was in charge.

Now that the Spaniard is out of power, a new deal for Vinicius Jr is “closer than ever,” per AS. Any doubts surrounding his future in a white shirt are “history,” and the club views locking down the No. 7 as something absolutely “necessary.”

With the season reaching its climax and the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, it could be months before the two parties actually come to an agreement. A major dispute between the two came over the player’s proposed salary—Vinicius Jr is thought to be seeking $34.6 million (€30 million) per season, a price Los Blancos were not intent on paying.

Depending on how the rest of the 2025–26 season plays out, Real Madrid just might be compelled to give in to the historic demands of the face of their team.

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