Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was the only player who dared to tell Vinicius Junior that he had to change, according to reports.

The Brazil international has once again made some important contributions this season with 13 goals and nine assists in 37 appearances in all competitions.

Vinicius Jris in particularly good form at the moment with six goals in his last five matches and there remains the possibility that he could leave Real Madridin the next transfer window.

The 25-year-old is out of contract in the summer of 2027 with Real Madrid currently struggling to agree a renewal as the Brazilian would like parity with top-earner Kylian Mbappe.

Vinicius Jr had come under fire earlier this season for his performances and reports in Spain claim that Real Madrid goalkeeper Courtois ‘told him to his face what nobody in the Real Madrid dressing room dared to say’.

With the Brazilian ‘performing poorly’, Courtois ‘was very critical of him privately, asking him to forget about controversies and focus exclusively on his commitments to the team’.

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The report adds: ‘He had several conversations with him in the locker room, hoping he would change, which he finally has. So the number 1 thanked him for listening to his advice and congratulated him on his current form.’

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reckons Vinicius Jr’s contract renewal could now be less complicated after Xabi Alonso was sacked earlier this year.

Romano said in January: “If Vinicius Junior’s renewal was paused, it’s also because the relationship with Xabi Alonso wasn’t spectacular. So now, let’s see what will happen.

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“The club has always communicated the intention to renew Vini, and he, in the last 3-4 months, has always communicated the intention to wait a bit and see what happened with the coach situation. So, we’ll see what happens with Arbeloa, but I think this is a topic that will change, because with Xabi, renewing Vinicius was going to be complicated.

“Optimistic about his extension? Look, for now it’s on hold, because we have to see how things will be with Arbeloa, what Real Madrid will be in the future, what will happen in the summer, if Arbeloa or another coach will be there, what kind of project it will be… Vini wants to be an important player; that’s the issue.

“I think it was paused between late September and October because the player wasn’t happy with not feeling so important. Now it’s different; he was in Xabi’s final weeks. Now there’s a new coach, and surely without Xabi Alonso it will be less complicated.”

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