Arsenal are monitoring Vinicius Junior's contract situation at Real Madrid, where a disagreement over a signing-on fee is preventing a new deal. The Brazilian forward's current contract expires at the end of next season, and he could leave on a free transfer if no agreement is reached.
Contract Stalemate
Real Madrid had expected to finalize a new contract with Vinicius Junior by now, and they have presented a weekly wage that the player finds acceptable, according to the Daily Mail. However, the two parties have yet to agree on a signing-on fee, a crucial element in the negotiations.
The gap between the two sides is seen as the reason Vinicius has not committed his future to the club, opening the door for Arsenal. Sporting director Andrea Berta is leading the Gunners' pursuit, as they look to strengthen their left-wing options.
Arsenal's Interest
Arsenal are seeking a replacement for Leandro Trossard and possibly Gabriel Martinelli, with Vinicius Junior topping their list. The 26-year-old returned to Real Madrid training on Monday and underwent medical tests, but his future remains uncertain.
Mikel Arteta, who is also targeting Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle this week, expects more transfer activity before the summer deadline. Arsenal's only incoming business so far has been making Piero Hincapie's loan permanent, plus the signings of Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier.
Arteta's Ambition
Arteta said: "We expect to have movements in the next few weeks, obviously. We want to get better like anybody else, and you can see the transfer market and our opponents... We won't sit still and we are very ambitious with what we are doing."
He added: "The margins are very small. Because we want to get better and the level is going to increase. We need to increase the competition internally. We need to make sure we identify the things that we don't have in the team."
Arteta emphasized the club's ambition: "A lot is happening. From ownership to the board, the sporting director and myself, we know that we want to take this club to a different level. That is going to require a better squad, better individuals."
