Arsenal are weighing up a move for Vinicius Jnr after narrowly missing out on a Premier League and Champions League double, with their lack of firepower exposed in the European Cup final defeat.
No bid has been tabled yet, but internally the Gunners are keen on the Brazilian forward, whose contract at Real Madrid continues to wind down. The 26-year-old has been at the Bernabeu since 2018 and helped the club win two Champions Leagues, but last season ended trophyless for the second year running.
“Arsenal consider Vinicius Jnr transfer as Emmanuel Petit tells Real Madrid to sell for a team ethic reset.”
Now former France midfielder Emmanuel Petit has urged Real to cash in and reset the dressing room culture. “Something has to be rebuilt in Madrid,” Petit told the Evening Standard. “You cannot rely all the time on the brilliance of Mbappé or Vinícius, they have to stop that.”
Petit pointed to Paris Saint-Germain’s success after losing Kylian Mbappe. “Spain and PSG have sent strong messages that the team matters. It's not based on the individual, it's about the team's unity.”
New Real boss Jose Mourinho has already brought in four new faces on free transfers – Ibrahima Konate, Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella and Denzel Dumfries – and has reportedly drawn a line in the sand regarding Vinicius’s future. Petit added: “Mourinho wants to get strong and reliable players, and I'm pretty sure he's putting pressure on Florentino to spend the money wisely.”
Vinicius is seeking parity with Kylian Mbappe on wages, but negotiations come after a difficult season. Arsenal, who were edged out in the European Cup final, have discussed adding the forward in what would be a blockbuster signing. Whether they formalise their interest with a bid remains to be seen.