Vinicius Junior is in preliminary talks over returning to Nike and re-establishing their long-term relationship.
As revealed by The Athletic in February, the Real Madrid forward broke off his agreement with the American sportswear giant back in February.
Nike had been Vinicius Jr’s most important sponsor ever since he was 13. He signed a 10-year deal with the brand in 2013 and in 2018 renewed for a further decade.
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However, Vinicius Jr’s rise to prominence after moving to Madrid in 2018 meant that he began to feel that the terms of that extension were not reflective of his rising status, leading to his decision to part ways with Nike.
“We are in no hurry to sign with another brand. The key for us is to find the right company that appreciates and believes in Vini and is willing to invest in his brand through campaigns and activation worldwide,” a person from Vinicius Jr’s entourage told The Athletic back in February.
The Brazilian’s team of lawyers began working on a separation, but the agreement between the brand and the player did not include a termination clause. The lawyers believed the contract to be terminated and Vinicius wore a pair of ‘blackout’ boots in a game against Valencia in February.
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Nike went on to take the case to court and won, with the relationship then reduced to the 22-year-old solely wearing Nike footwear.
He has not posted about Nike on social media or attended any Nike events since.
A number of major brands, including Adidas and Puma, have been monitoring the situation given the significant commercial appeal Vinicius Jr now holds as one of the best players in the world.
Nike has maintained its interest in a continued partnership, however, with senior executives in the company’s base in Portland renewing their push a month ago.
Vinicius Jr has been keen to remain focused on his football, with a particular eye on the Champions League, where they exited at the semi-final stage at the hands of Manchester City, and the Copa del Rey, which they won against Osasuna earlier this month.
But following the conclusion of the season in the next few weeks negotiations are expected to ramp back up with Vinicius set to be personally involved.
We stand with @vinijr. pic.twitter.com/vbgVkwK7Us
— Nike (@Nike) May 23, 2023
Vinicius Jr, who was subjected to yet more racist abuse during Madrid’s La Liga game at Valencia on Sunday, is a committed social justice campaigner, something that he will be looking for support with when weighing up his decision.
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Nike posted on social media supporting his fight against racism on Tuesday.
Vinicius Jr was absent with discomfort in his left knee as Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday night. His team-mates wore his No 20 shirt before the match, while supporters at the Santiago Bernabeu held up a banner saying, “Racists, out of football”.
Madrid return to action in La Liga against Sevilla on Saturday before concluding their season against Athletic Bilbao on June 4.
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(Photo: Getty Images)
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