According to GiveMeSport, Arsenal’s ambitious hopes of luring Vinicius Junior to the Premier League appear to be all but over, with the Real Madrid winger reportedly on the cusp of signing a new long-term contract with the Spanish giants. The news delivers a significant blow to the Gunners, who had made the 26-year-old a primary target in their summer transfer plans.
For weeks, Arsenal’s sporting director, Andrea Berta, had been actively exploring a deal for the Brazilian international. GiveMeSport understands that Berta engaged in extensive discussions with Vinicius Junior’s agency, ROC Nation, and even tabled a lucrative proposal that his representatives had, in principle, agreed to. The Gunners are keen to bolster Mikel Arteta’s attacking options this summer, aiming to give the team the best possible chance of retaining their Premier League crown next season.
Real Madrid’s decisive move
However, Real Madrid has moved swiftly and decisively to secure their star forward’s future. Fresh talks took place at the club’s Valdebebas training ground on Wednesday, which, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, went exceptionally well. Romano revealed on Thursday morning that a verbal agreement over Vinicius Junior’s new contract is now in its final stages, with only minor details left to be ironed out.
The new deal is expected to be a long-term commitment, reflecting Vinicius Junior’s crucial role in the squad. According to GiveMeSport, former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho had also urged the club to keep hold of the Brazilian. Real Madrid’s offer is said to reflect his importance to the team, with remuneration reportedly close to that of new signing Kylian Mbappé, ensuring Vinicius Junior remains in the Spanish capital for the foreseeable future.
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Arsenal must turn to alternatives
With Vinicius Junior seemingly out of reach, Arsenal will now be forced to pivot and explore alternative targets for a top-class wide forward. The setback follows another recent transfer disappointment for the North London club, who also missed out on Morgan Rogers earlier this month before he ultimately joined Chelsea.
The market for elite wide attackers presents several challenges:
- Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly demanding more than £130 million for Bradley Barcola.
- Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams has a £77 million release clause.
- Juventus star Kenan Yildiz is believed to be happy in Turin, making a transfer difficult.
Arsenal’s focus will now intensify on identifying an alternative who can provide the attacking quality Mikel Arteta is seeking ahead of the new season.
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