Arsenal are exploring a move for Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, with Spanish media backing the blockbuster transfer despite widespread reports that the Brazil international will remain at the Bernabeu.
The Gunners enter the new season as defending Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years and have already strengthened their attack by signing Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £34 million. However, manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly seeking further firepower.
Real Madrid's 'Obligation to Sell'
Last week, reports emerged that Arsenal were considering a move for Vinicius, which would likely be the headline transfer of the window. More recent updates suggested the 26-year-old is keen to stay and sign a new contract, with his current deal expiring in 2027. However, some Spanish outlets argue that Real Madrid have an "obligation" to sell him and that the saga may have further developments.
Ex-Real Madrid goalkeeper Santi Canizares spoke on COPE's Tiempo de Juego programme about the situation. "The more noise there is about a player, the less chance he has of leaving," he said. "[But] Real Madrid are late with everything. If it's true that he doesn't have a signed agreement, Real Madrid have an obligation to sell him. You can't lose 100 or 100-plus million euros by letting a player's contract expire. I just don't believe it's going to happen. It's an unforgivable mismanagement."
Contract Stalemate and Wage Dispute
While Sky Sports News reports that Vinicius will stay and Real Madrid have no interest in selling, one Spanish outlet suggests there has been no meeting about renewing his contract for some time. Deputy director of AS, Tomas Roncero, commented: "The club says there probably won't be a problem, because he intends to renew. If you talk to Vini's people, they tell you that his only wish is to stay at Madrid and leaving isn't even on his mind. But curiously, there hasn't been a single meeting for eight or nine months. The last time, there was a huge financial disagreement, because his demand was to earn the same as Kylian Mbappe. Madrid made it clear to him that he's not going to earn the same as Mbappe."
Roncero added: "There will be no agreement on those initial terms. I'd like to think that Vinicius will lower his financial demands, which would also be reasonable. You have to understand the pecking order within a club and it's clear that Real Madrid's star player is Mbappe. He's the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history, World Cup Golden Boot winner, Champions League Golden Boot winner, and La Liga top scorer. His individual statistics speak for themselves. And Vini hasn't been quite as outstanding. He has to understand that he can't earn the same amount."
On the risk of Vinicius leaving for free, Roncero said: "Real Madrid want to avoid that scenario. The Yan Diomande deal is a clear message that Vinicius might not stay. Otherwise, there wouldn't be such urgency to spend 120 million euros on a 19-year-old player. Such a big gamble only makes sense if you're also covering your back."
Mixed Signals
Roncero's colleague and chief editor of AS, Aritz Gabilondo, also weighed in: "If both sides want to renew, the deal is signed and that's it. Someone here is playing a different game. It's a strategy that Real Madrid – and specifically its president – has historically taken a dim view of. Taking a gamble on Florentino Pérez in this instance is very tricky."
