José Mourinho has revealed that he personally played a part in convincing Vinicius Jr to remain at Real Madrid during the Brazilian forward’s contract negotiations.
The Portuguese manager made it clear that he wanted Vinicius to stay and told the player directly that he believed there was nowhere better for him than Real Madrid.
“I told him to stay. I wanted him here and there’s nothing like Real Madrid,” Mourinho said.
The comments shed more light on Mourinho’s involvement in a contract situation that had attracted plenty of attention during the summer.
Mourinho wanted Vinicius to stay
Vinicius had entered the final year of his previous Real Madrid contract, with uncertainty surrounding his future and interest from clubs including Arsenal. Real Madrid, however, remained determined to keep their star forward.
Mourinho was also firmly on the side of keeping him.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Mourinho was personally involved in the discussions and made his position clear to both the club and Vinicius. The manager reportedly told Real Madrid that he wanted the Brazilian to remain part of his plans and also spoke directly to the player about his vision for him at the club.
There were several conversations between Mourinho and Vinicius as the situation developed, with the manager making it clear that the winger remained an important part of his plans.
Vinicius ultimately chose Real Madrid
The uncertainty surrounding Vinicius eventually came to an end.
On August 6, Real Madrid announced that the Brazilian had signed a new contract keeping him at the Santiago Bernabéu until June 2032. The agreement ended months of speculation about a possible departure.
The new deal also means Mourinho will have one of the most dangerous attackers in world football at the heart of his project.
Vinicius has become a key figure at Real Madrid since arriving from Flamengo in 2018. His development has turned him into one of the club’s most important players, and Mourinho clearly sees him as someone who can play a major role in the next chapter of the team.
A relationship Mourinho wants to build on
Mourinho’s intervention appears to have been about more than simply persuading Vinicius to sign a contract.
The manager has spoken about his plans for the Brazilian and the importance of having him at Real Madrid. With Vinicius now committed to the club until 2032, Mourinho can focus on getting the best out of a player he clearly considers central to his project.
For Vinicius, meanwhile, the new contract brings an end to the uncertainty that had followed him throughout the summer.
And Mourinho can now get what he wanted from the beginning: Vinicius Jr staying at Real Madrid.