Best outcome of the pre-season was that the Vini contract saga is over; worst outcome - how it was resolved. I'm not going to go into whether he did or did not deserve an extension based on recent performances or past accolades; what worries me is that first it was allowed for Vini to enter the final year of his contract and, second, that that was addressed by accommodating his wage demands, as the consequences of this will become painfully clear in the next 2 seasons. Why? Mbappe. As it stands Vini's contract runs until 2031 and the club when it came to salary. How do you think Mbappe is going to go into negotiations next year or in 2028? Especially if he continues to be amongst the best in the world. It is not impossible for him to come out swinging and demand something like 40-50 million per annum for 4-5 years. And if the club tries to play hardball? He has proven that he can run down a contract. Also bear in mind that next year we will also have to likely start talks with Bellingham, who is also likely to expect more than a 10% raise. Our wage structure and discipline likely just went out the window. It is quite possible that every player in the team from now on - proven, upcoming, youngster or otherwise - will likely be seeking to get out more than they would have aimed at a year or a couple of months ago.Truth is that the only pain-free way this can be resolved is if Vini rediscovers his best form and is consistently among the best performers over the next 2 years - even outclassing Mbappe, so the club can publicly justify the wage increase and have some leverage in future negotiations. Otherwise... well, not good.

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