Arsenal exploring deal for Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior
Arsenal are reportedly exploring a potential deal to sign Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior. The Brazil international is among several attacking targets the Premier League champions are considering to bolster their left-wing options.
While there has been no direct contact between the clubs, interest in Vinicius Junior is understood to be present. Other players of interest to Arsenal include Julian Alvarez, Yan Diomande, and Bradley Barcola.
Contract Situation and Potential Transfer
Vinicius Junior, who is 26, has entered the final year of his current contract with Real Madrid. If a new agreement is not reached, Real Madrid could consider selling him to avoid losing him as a free agent next summer. The club would likely want to avoid losing the forward without a transfer fee, especially as he would be entitled to a loyalty bonus next season.
The idea of acquiring Vinicius Junior has received internal approval at Arsenal, although the interest is currently in its early stages and a deal is not guaranteed. Arsenal aims to strengthen its left-wing options this summer. The club previously sold Leandro Trossard for £17m and brought in Christos Tzolis for £34m. However, another option in that position, Gabriel Martinelli, scored only one Premier League goal last season.
Vinicius Junior was the 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up. He recently participated in the World Cup with Brazil, playing in all five of their matches and scoring four goals before Brazil was eliminated by Norway in the round of 16.
Wage Demands and Club Stance
According to reports, Vinicius Junior‘s current net annual salary is 15m Euros. Real Madrid has reportedly offered him 20m Euros, but he is seeking 30m Euros, which translates to over 550,000 Euros per week net. There has been no movement from either side regarding these contract figures, a situation that has reportedly been ongoing for 18 months.
Real Madrid is reportedly considering Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig as a potential replacement. However, Real Madrid‘s new manager, Jose Mourinho, is expected to oppose any approach from Arsenal for Vinicius Junior this summer, as he has communicated to the club his desire to retain all key players.
Despite this, the relationship between Vinicius Junior and Jose Mourinho has been a point of focus. It is understood that the player and coach have been in communication since an incident last season involving Mourinho‘s Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni, and both were prepared to start the new campaign with a fresh perspective.
Vinicius Junior joined Real Madrid in 2018 from Flamengo. He has made 375 total appearances for the club, contributing 128 goals and 100 assists. In the 2025-26 season, he scored 22 goals across all competitions for Real Madrid, a season where the club finished second in La Liga, eight points behind Barcelona.
The financial demands of Vinicius Junior‘s desired contract could be a significant factor. One expert suggested that it would be challenging for Arsenal or any Premier League club to match those figures.
Other Transfer Speculations
Beyond Vinicius Junior, Arsenal is also exploring other transfer targets. They are reportedly prepared to break the British transfer record to sign Argentina striker Julian Alvarez, 26, from Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, Inter Milan is interested in signing Argentina defender Cristian Romero, 28, from Tottenham.
RB Leipzig has rejected an £85.4m bid from Real Madrid for Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande, who is 19. Diomande is also a target for other clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester City. Manchester United‘s apparent lack of urgency in making a concrete offer for 25-year-old France midfielder Manu Kone is reportedly causing frustration for AS Roma.
Juventus is exploring a move for Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, 31, and has held discussions with the Portugal midfielder’s representatives. Chelsea has rejected a third bid from Como for England defender Trevoh Chalobah, 27. Napoli is interested in signing Chelsea‘s former France centre-back Benoit Badiashile, 25.
Julian Brandt, the 30-year-old Germany midfielder, has received offers from both Leeds United and Ajax after leaving Borussia Dortmund as a free agent. Nottingham Forest has submitted an improved £17.5m bid for Feyenoord‘s 20-year-old Dutch right-back Givairo Read. West Ham has rejected an offer from Brentford for Senegal left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf, 21, stating he is not for sale. Middlesbrough is interested in signing Manchester United‘s 22-year-old Czech goalkeeper Radek Vitek, who was on loan at Bristol City last season.
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Source: skysports.com
