Real Madrid have slapped a £137m price tag on Vinicius Junior, demanding the British transfer record be shattered if Arsenal are to land the Brazilian winger this summer.
The 26-year-old, who scored 22 goals and laid on 14 assists in 53 games last season despite a disappointing campaign for the Spanish giants, has emerged as a target for Mikel Arteta as he looks to strengthen his left flank after Arsenal's Premier League title win.
“Real Madrid demand £137m for Vinicius Jr as Arsenal show interest with contract talks stalled.”
Negotiations over a new contract at the Santiago Bernabeu have reportedly hit an impasse, with Vinicius's current deal set to expire next summer. The player and club had arranged to meet at the end of July to discuss an extension — a meeting Arsenal will monitor closely.
But the La Liga club are determined not to lose the 15-time Champions League winner on a free transfer. Spanish publication SPORT claims Real will refuse to enter talks unless any bid meets their €160m (£137m) asking price, a figure that would eclipse the current British record of £125m paid by Liverpool for Alexander Isak last summer — and Real may demand even more.
Real manager Jose Mourinho has made his position clear, reportedly opposing the idea of Vinicius leaving. However, the club may need to raise funds as they weigh up a £102m move for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande — a player Arsenal have also enquired about. Should Diomande choose Real, it could increase the likelihood of Vinicius heading to the Emirates.
Arsenal are exploring a swoop for the winger, with Real determined to set a sufficiently high threshold to discourage speculative enquiries, including add-ons tied to performance and silverware. Whether the end-of-July talks break the deadlock or push Vinicius closer to North London remains to be seen.