Morning.
I have to say, if you’d asked me at the start of this transfer window to make a list of players we absolutely would not be credibly linked with, the name of Vinicius Junior would more than likely have been on it. And yet, yesterday we got this:
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal exploring deal to sign Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid🔺 Candidate to strengthen attack if no RM renewal 🔺 #AFC interest approved at all levels🔺 12 months remaining on RM dealw/ @davidornstein0.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social ⬇️www.nytimes.com/athletic/746…
— Gunnerblog (@gunnerblog.bsky.social) 2026-07-25T12:52:51.190Z
Clearly this isn’t anywhere near close to being done, but the fact we’re trying most definitely ticks the ‘ambitious’ box based on Mikel Arteta’s post-Champions League final close about our summer business. My guess it that, a bit like the Mesut Ozil deal all those years ago, this one depends heavily on other players moving around. Real Madrid have been linked with Michael Olise and Yan Diomande, and are also looking at a deal to sign Rodri from Man City, having already brought in Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva and Ibrahima Konate.
They spend money with gay abandon but it would make some sense if they were willing to let someone go to help balance the books. Vinicius Junior has one year left on his contract, and that might – if things line up – make a club to club deal relatively straightforward to do if the willingness was there on both sides. It would be expensive, but not impossible. I wonder too if the arrival of Jose Mourinho might be an issue for the player after the grotty response the Portuguese gave when Gianluca Prestianni allegedly directed racist abuse at the Brazilian last season.
The real challenge will be in sorting out personal terms. He’s on massive money already at Real Madrid, and anything in that ballpark would make him our highest paid player by some distance. Still, the reporting says Arsenal’s interest is ‘approved at all levels’ which means the ownership, and everyone else, will be very much aware of what it will take to make it happen. There will be focus on the weekly wage, but signing on fees and bonuses can play a part in the overall package if the club want to try and keep some kind of a ceiling on things.
It still feels like a bit of a long shot, but I don’t think you can argue against the idea that he’s a player who would significantly move the needle for us in the final third. He has 228 goal contributions in 375 games for Real Madrid (128 goals, 100 assists), and some the quickest feet in football, particularly around the opposition box. I’ve said this before, but I really feel like we miss a player with a kind of explosive individuality, and he would be someone who could bring that.
Again, it’s another complicated one, but I think it’s the kind of complication that’s worth pursuing if you can make it happen. And it is worth pointing out that signing a player like this is always going to have layers of complexity to it, but it stands apart from players like Morgan Rogers and Bruno Guimaraes for me because of what an influx of quality it would be. He’s a genuine star, and if we could make this happen, it’d be an incredibly exciting signing. Let’s see how it progresses!
Elsewhere, Arsenal played a behind closed doors friendly yesterday against MK Dons to kick off the pre-season activity. We won 3-0 with goals from Reiss Nelson, Ethan Nwaneri, and Ceadach O’Neill, with Christos Tzolis providing an assist, and there were a host of young players involved as many of our first team are still away after their World Cup exploits. There’s a report on the official site.
Righto, that’s your lot for this morning. Have a great Sunday folks, more here tomorrow and we’ll have an Arsecast Extra for you too.
