Arsenal have renewed their interest in Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, a development that could prompt the Spanish club to reassess the future of one of their leading players after a significant dip in form this season.
Spanish journalist Josep Pedrerol reported on El Chiringuito that Arsenal are considering a move for the Brazil international. However, the Premier League club would need to address its wage bill before being able to complete any deal and could be forced to sell several players to create room within its salary structure.
Real Madrid have not received an official offer for Vinicius, Pedrerol added. There is also no certainty that the player wants to leave Santiago Bernabeu, either in January or during next summer’s transfer window.
Arsenal’s previous pursuit
Arsenal’s interest is not new. The club made Vinicius a major target last summer, when talks over a new contract between the forward and Real Madrid had stalled.
Reports in August said Arsenal had identified him as their priority attacking recruit. Sporting director Andrea Berta is understood to have contacted people close to the player, while representatives of the English club conveyed the message that Mikel Arteta’s project could be built around him.
Spanish newspaper AS reported that Arteta himself became directly involved in the approach and told Vinicius how important he would be to Arsenal’s plans. The club was reportedly prepared to make an offer worth up to 150 million euros.
Real Madrid ended the uncertainty on 6 August by announcing that Vinicius had signed a new contract running until June 2032. The agreement appeared to rule out a possible departure and brought one of the summer’s most prominent transfer stories to a close.
Difficult season for Vinicius
The expected improvement following the contract renewal has not materialised. Vinicius has endured a particularly challenging period, with his attacking effectiveness falling and his usual ability to beat opponents and influence matches noticeably reduced.
His position has also come under greater scrutiny because of the emergence of new arrival Yan Diomande. The Ivory Coast winger impressed when Vinicius was suspended, scoring and creating goals while making a strong case for a regular role on the left wing.
Arsenal’s renewed interest could therefore give Real Madrid an opportunity to reconsider their stance if Vinicius’ decline continues and Diomande maintains his progress. Any transfer would nevertheless depend on the agreement of both Real Madrid and the player.
Arsenal’s financial position remains another obstacle. According to Pedrerol, the club would need to sell players before it could make sufficient space under its wage limit to pursue the deal.
