Vinicius Jr is 'suffering' at Real Madrid - did he make a €120m mistake?

Vinicius Jr is 'suffering' at Real Madrid - did he make a €120m Arsenal mistake? Make us your Google favourite There is a growing body of evidence that Vinicius Jr made a mistake when he signed a new Real Madrid contract instead of pursuing a move to Arsenal . The Brazil international has been in the news a lot already in this nascent season, and it's rarely been for positive reasons. Vinicius' performance levels have been nowhere near his usual standard, although the same can be said for many of Real Madrid's players. Despite Los Blancos having managed some high-scoring wins in their first few games, their overall displays have not been totally convincing. At the weekend, they deservedly lost to city rivals Atletico Madrid and already find themselves six points adrift of LaLiga leaders Barcelona. The fallout of this result has been massive, but much of the focus has been on the antics of manager Jose Mourinho, who blamed a refereeing conspiracy for the defeat rather than Real Madrid's listless performance. Now that the dust has settled (a bit), people are realising that Vinicius once again endured a difficult game, which has become a recurring theme this season and is causing growing concerns. Vinicius "shaken" and "suffering" Vinicius has seemingly lost a bit of that spark that once made him one of the most dangerous players on the planet. This isn't a new phenomenon, though, as there were already signs of this last season. He managed to obfuscate his declining performance levels with impressive numbers, bagging 22 goals and producing 14 assists. However, it was noticeable that the 26-year-old had become a moments player rather than a consistent threat. What had previously set Vinicius apart from other wingers, particularly when he was a favourite for the Ballon d'Or in 2024, was his relentlessness. He just kept going and going at the opposition's defence, grinding down his full-back until he couldn't keep up anymore. He has lost some of that. Whether that's due to physical and mental fatigue or tactical reasons - Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe are still stepping on each other's toes after playing together for two years - is for others to judge. What is clear, though, is that Vinicius is no longer the devastating attacker he used to be. This has become a genuine problem for Real Madrid, and supporters are getting fed up with him. On Tuesday, a Spanish outlet wrote that the crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu is "punishing every mistake with whistles and criticism." This naturally has an effect on a player. now writes that Vinicius' lacklustre performance against Atletico Madrid was a new low for him. In fact, he was so disappointed with himself that he was left "shaken" and "visibly upset" as he left the stadium. The 26-year-old is "suffering," the report adds. His early substitution, coming off after just 54 minutes, is perhaps a sign of things to come. Calls for Vinicius to be dropped to the bench, which would allow Kylian Mbappe to play in his favoured position on the left, are increasing. The Spanish outlet posits that the "many months of uncertainty regarding his future" is "taking its toll." Despite strong interest from Arsenal, who would have made him one of the faces of the best league in the world, he chose to sign a new contract at Real Madrid. He is reportedly on a hefty €20 million net per season for the next six years. The expectations that came with this bumper new €120m deal seem to be weighing heavily on him. "He knows he owes [Real Madrid] a debt of gratitude," the report states. He is well aware of the fact that his performances need to improve, but if he can't manage that, the sense that he may have overstayed his welcome will only grow. Vinicius increasingly looks like a player who could have used a change of scenery. Arsenal were willing to offer him exactly that. He could have become a Premier League superstar at a club that didn't have Kylian Mbappe or anyone else stepping on his toes. He turned them down and now seems to be paying the price.