Mourinho told Vinicius Jr 'not worth' leaving Real

What the report says

Jose Mourinho said he played a role in persuading Vinicius Jr to stay at Real Madrid, telling the Brazil winger that leaving the club was “not worth it.” In comments reported by BBC Sport and republished by Nile Post, Mourinho said Vinicius had grown attached to Real and would only fully understand the club after leaving it. Vinicius, 26, had been in the final year of his contract before signing a new six-year deal earlier this month.

The article says Arsenal were among the clubs monitoring the situation while contract talks continued, though Vinicius ultimately committed his future to Real. Mourinho, who is returning to Real for a second spell, framed the decision as a sign of the team’s progress and the player’s trust in the club’s direction.

Mourinho also discussed a separate Champions League incident involving Vinicius last season, saying the forward could rely on his support after an alleged racist abuse case involving Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni. Prestianni denied the allegation and was later banned by UEFA for homophobic conduct, according to the report.

More broadly, Mourinho described himself as a more controlled and mature coach than during his earlier Real tenure, while insisting he still has the same competitive style.