European champions Real Madrid are reportedly planning to offer bumper pay raise to star duo Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham. Following the increment, they would earn as much as the current highest-paid player on the team, Kylian Mbappe.
After falling short multiple times in recent years, Real Madrid finally got their hands on Mbappe in July 2024. The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner ran down his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), which allowed him to join Los Merengues as a free agent. He signed a mega five-year deal with the Spanish club, securing a lucrative contract and a €100 million (£83 million) signing bonus.
According to Football Espana, Real Madrid plan to make Mbappe their cornerstone and build the team around him. However, Los Blancos are not putting all of their eggs in Mbappe’s basket.
Real Madrid Preparing Massive Pay Bump for Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham
As per The Athletic, they are also eager to put Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. on the cover of their project, suggesting they are just as integral to the club’s future. To prove their commitment, Real Madrid have reportedly decided to offer Vinicius Jr. and Bellingham wages on par with Mbappe.
Vinicius Jr. and Bellingham are reportedly earning around €10 million (£8.3 million) per season at Real Madrid while Mbappe is on a €15 million per season (£12.4 million) deal. So, Vinicius Jr. and Bellingham are likely to get a whopping 50% wage bump when they extend their contracts with the 15-time European champions.
Vinicius Jr., who has been at the club since 2018, sees his contract expire in June 2027. With Saudi Pro League sides eager to sign the jet-heeled Brazilian winger, Real Madrid could begin contract talks with him as soon as next summer.
Who else deserves this award apart from Vinicius Junior pic.twitter.com/LiBAr6EGFL
— 𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙨𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 (@OldBlueTimes) December 28, 2024
Meanwhile, Bellingham, who joined the club in the summer of 2023, is contractually tied to the All-Whites until June 2029. The Englishman could have to wait a little longer to get his mouth-watering contract.
Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and Bellingham have all been in excellent form this season for Real Madrid. After a slow start to life in the Spanish capital, Mbappe has finally found his footing, showing glimpses of his best self in recent games. He has played 24 games for the club so far, scoring 14 goals and providing four assists.
Bellingham, who also drew a bit of criticism after failing to score in a few games towards the beginning of the season, has seven goals and six assists to his name after 22 games. Finally, there’s Vinicius, who has recorded 14 goals and 10 assists in 21 outings.
