Vinicius Junior's team reportedly reached out to Arsenal to explain why the forward had decided to stay on at Real Madrid last week, even thanking the Gunners for the treatment they had received during their back-and-forth.
Arsenal's Pursuit Falls Short
Eyebrows were raised as the 26-year-old attacker emerged as a surprise target for Arsenal this summer, with talks over a contract extension previously breaking down after two separate pushes by Madrid. Mikel Arteta was believed to be 'absolutely smitten' with the idea of coaxing Vinicius to north London and Arsenal bosses had been prepared to make the 2024 Ballon d'Or runner-up the highest-paid player in Premier League history.
But a major breakthrough in negotiations between Madrid and Vinicius a week ago convinced the Brazilian to stay put and commit his future to Los Blancos, bringing Arsenal's pursuit to an abrupt halt. It was subsequently announced that Vinicius Junior had put pen to paper on a six-year contract at Madrid, tying him to the La Liga giants until June 2032.
Behind-the-Scenes Efforts
According to The Athletic, Vinicius had been 'genuinely attracted' by Arsenal's proposal, a move that had been approved at all levels within the Premier League champions' hierarchy. It's claimed the ambitious offer was made to Vinicius' camp after 'months of behind-the-scenes work' and 'high-level' dialogue between head coach Arteta and key decision makers at Arsenal.
But after twice being rejected by Vinicius, Madrid's efforts reached a 'turning point' last Wednesday. Just hours later, the superstar winger had wiped his Instagram page in preparation for a new chapter at the Bernabeu and official confirmation of his renewal followed soon after.
Gratitude and Acceptance
The report states that Arsenal first began to get serious about Vinicius over the winter, 'speaking at length' with the Brazil international and his team to outline the project he would be spearheading under Arteta. Continued 'frosty' relations between Vinicius and Madrid gave Arsenal increasing confidence that a deal had been possible – and the Gunners were optimistic of pulling off a sensational coup right up until last week.
Vinicius' inner circle are said to have confirmed the player's contract agreement to Arsenal last Wednesday, with the forward's representatives expressing their gratitude for how the north London giants had handled themselves during their pursuit. The report adds that Vinicius' camp stressed that the decision was reached due to Vinicius' 'affection' for Madrid and the significant 'financial effort' that had been made to keep him in the Spanish capital.
While there was understandable 'disappointment' at the Emirates, Arsenal bosses were also 'accepting' of Vinicius' decision, aware that such a move was always going to come with the strong possibility of failure. The Athletic claim that many at Arsenal saw it as an indicator of progression that they had even been in with a shot of capturing one of the most high-profile players in the world game.
Arsenal's Alternatives
Forced to consider alternatives, Arsenal have been tentatively linked with Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola and Juventus' Kenan Yildiz in recent days. The Gunners moved to replace Leandro Trossard with the addition of Club Brugge's Christos Tzolis in the left wing last month, while Illan Meslier has been signed on a free transfer as back-up to David Raya.
Piero Hincapie remains Arsenal's only other first-team recruit of the summer, with the reigning English champions activating their £35million option to sign the defender outright from Bayer Leverkusen.
