Real Madrid have a €130m problem with Vini Jr – Diomande’s just confirmed it
Yan Diomande has only been at Real Madrid for three months, but he is already causing Jose Mourinho a major headache thanks to his form, with the brilliance of the 19-year-old set to shake up the established hierarchy at the Bernabeu.
Signed in a record €125 million deal from RB Leipzig in the summer, Los Blancos were clearly bullish about the impact that Diomande was ready to have at the Bernabeu. This instinct has been proven correct. A shaky start has given way to a spell of blistering excellence, with the 19-year-old delivering four goals and three assists since the international break.
Although he failed to score in El Clasico, his performance offered justification of Real Madrid’s record-setting deal, which was further cemented by a goal against Racing Santander in an easy weekend victory.
But while Diomande’s form is cause for celebration at Real Madrid, there should also be a fear that the Ivory Coast international has been just a little too impactful, and the impact of this is set to ripple through the dressing room.
In particular, it leaves questions over the future of Vinicius Junior, who is currently out injured but who signed a massive new six-year contract with Los Blancos worth around €22 million per season in August.
Vini’s performances for Real Madrid have been the source of some criticism for the past couple of seasons. His goal and assist return has remained high, though has not hit the type of superstar level required to silence critics over the size of his new deal – and Diomande’s emergence is likely to magnify the pressure on the 26-year-old to offer a big return.
But the problem is that Diomande is playing himself into a position in which he is indispensable to the starting XI. Across all competitions this season, he has a goal or assist 0.97 per 90 minutes compared to Vini’s 0.45, which is just eighth in the Real Madrid squad.
This in turn begs the question of where Vinicius can fit in. He won’t be replacing Kylian Mbappe at the forefront of the attack, while Real Madrid have a myriad of options on the right, including Arda Guler, Brahim Diaz and Rodrygo.
Diomande could, of course, fill that role, but given how strong he has been on the left, it is difficult to justify moving him for a player in significantly inferior form.
And we’ve seen how Vini reacts when he’s not given star billing. He publicly stropped against Xabi Alonso in the first Clasico of last term when he was withdrawn, while much of the delay in his new contract centred around him earning wages comparable to Mbappe.
This leaves with Real Madrid with two options when Vini Jr returns from his domestic ban, neither of which is attractive.
Firstly, Jose Mourinho could give in to Vini and switch Diomande back to the right, risking the balance that the team has found in recent weeks.
The other is simply to bench the Brazilian and manage the outcome. If the situation goes south, as it may well do, the problems really begin.
Vinicius is under contract until 2032, with the vast majority of his €132m contract still outstanding. The player has all the power in this situation: he is under no obligation to leave for another destination that would likely involve a substantial wage cut.
Although Arsenal were willing to go all-out to sign him in the summer, would the Gunners really want to foot such a massive salary on top of what would no doubt be a giant transfer fee?
Other clubs that can afford such a financial double-blow are vanishingly small, particularly with the uncertainty surrounding Manchester City at the moment.
Real Madrid may just have played themselves into a nightmare scenario with Vini Jr’s new contract. Diomande represents a better option, but Vini will be a financial black hole if they cannot get him back in form and back on the field again.
