Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jnr has wiped all posts from his Instagram account amid growing speculation over his future at the Spanish club. The 26-year-old Brazil international deleted his entire social media history on Wednesday night despite receiving a contract renewal offer worth £19 million a year from Los Blancos.
The attacker's profile page, which boasts 64.1 million followers, currently displays no images, bio, or profile picture. His follower count has somehow grown by 200,000 since the content removal. With his current deal expiring at the end of next season in less than a year, Real Madrid do not want to lose the star on a free transfer.
Premier League champions Arsenal made initial enquiries into the player last week and are ready to swoop if contract talks collapse. Gunners manager Mikel Arteta insisted the English winners will be "very ambitious" during the summer transfer window.
Contract Negotiations in Madrid
Despite the social media deletion, Real Madrid are believed to be increasingly confident of keeping the Brazilian superstar at the Bernabeu. Talks took place in Madrid on Wednesday between the player's agents, general director Jose Angel Sanchez, and chief scout Juni Calafat.
New manager Jose Mourinho has also underlined that the winger is firmly in his plans. Vinicius Jnr returned from his post-World Cup holiday three days ago and started training under the new Mourinho regime.
Speaking to Real Madrid TV earlier this week, Vinicius Jnr said: "It has gone very well, getting to know the new coach and the new players, and training very hard. Mourinho wants me to be as I have always been: happy, cheerful and playing my football."
While deleting social media posts can be interpreted as dissatisfaction with a club, Real remain optimistic about securing his future. A major sticking point in negotiations had been the re-signing fee, but a recent increase in Real's offer has boosted their confidence that he will commit to the Spanish giants.
Vinicius Jnr, who has played for Los Blancos since 2018, views any contract he signs as the defining deal of his career. He regards the agreement as recognition of his efforts for the club, which have seen him become a Ballon d'Or contender in recent seasons.
