Vinicius Junior has been warned that joining Arsenal this summer would replicate the mistake Mesut Ozil made in 2013, according to former Real Madrid star Pedja Mijatovic. The ex-forward insists there is 'no going back' if the Brazilian leaves the Bernabeu.
Contract uncertainty at Madrid
The 26-year-old is entering the final 12 months of his contract in the Spanish capital, with renewal talks having stalled after last year's Club World Cup. Arsenal, the reigning Premier League champions, have been alerted to the situation, with Mikel Arteta reportedly 'absolutely smitten' with the idea of signing him.
The Gunners are said to have approved a proposal 'at all levels' at the Emirates, with reports suggesting they are willing to make Vinicius the highest-paid player in Premier League history. However, reports from Madrid indicate that Vinicius has 'prioritised' resolving his future in Spain, and Jose Mourinho is reportedly opposed to losing him.
Mijatovic's warning
Mijatovic, who scored Real Madrid's winning goal in the 1998 Champions League final, drew on his own experience of leaving Madrid for Fiorentina in 1999. Speaking on Cadena SER's El Larguero programme, he said: 'It's better to be second choice at Real Madrid, even if you're behind Kylian Mbappe, than first at any other team in the world.'
'This is exactly what can happen to Vinicius or anyone else who has left: you leave upset, angry because you're not valued, etcetera… all these stories I've heard 1,500 times. And then, you run into this same player 20 days or a month later in London, Paris, or wherever, and the first thing he says is, "My God, how wrong I was", and all for the sake of €2-3million. That's a lot of money, but with €20m you live exactly the same.'
Historical context
Martin Odegaard was the last player to leave Real Madrid for Arsenal, going on to captain the Gunners to Premier League glory last season. Before him, Ozil made the switch after a falling out at Madrid, with Arsenal paying a then club-record £42.5m fee. Ozil won only three FA Cups and a Community Shield in England, and Mijatovic believes the German may regret his decision, just as he does.
'When you want to go back, there is no going back, obviously,' Mijatovic added. 'I've experienced this myself and it happened to Mesut Ozil, too.'
Carragher's doubts
Jamie Carragher, speaking on the Football Ramble podcast, said he would 'love' to see Vinicius in the Premier League but suspects the forward may be using Arsenal to secure a new contract at Madrid. He noted a lack of top attacking players in the English top flight, citing the World Cup semi-finalists' squads, and concluded: 'I just can't see it happening. He's surely doing it to get a new contract at Real Madrid.'
