Arsenal are looking to pull off an audacious move for Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior this summer, and while this prospective deal would massively elevate Mikel Arteta's team's attack, a sacrifice will need to be made along the way.
Reputable journalist David Ornstein broke the news that the Gunners are exploring a deal for Vinicius on Saturday, prompting huge excitement amongst the North London club's fanbase. The Premier League champions have been in the hunt for a superstar left-winger for some time, but have struggled to make it happen.
The Brazilian phenomenon is currently locked in contract talks with Real Madrid. While it's possible that he and Los Blancos reach an agreement over a new deal, the mood music around this situation hasn't been positive for the Spanish giants, and it now seems genuinely plausible that he ends his love affair with the serial Champions League winners.
If Vinicius fails to reach a consensus with Florentino Perez's right-hand men, then Arsenal are waiting in the wings, ready to pounce and enact what would be a statement deal.
Vinicius Junior Deal Would Be Very Expensive for Arsenal
Vinicius Junior (Brazil) at 2026 World CupPhil Noble via Action Images via Reuters
The obvious stumbling block for Arsenal in their pursuit of Vinicius is the finances associated with the deal. The 26-year-old currently earns a purported base salary of around £410,000-a-week (via Capology), with bonuses taking it to £615,000-a-week.
Reports suggest that contract talks with Real Madrid have stalled because the La Liga club haven't been prepared to match Vinicius' wage demands. Given the financial resources available to Los Blancos, it's likely that they have offered the player a significant raise, and he still hasn't accepted it.
That doesn't bode well for Arsenal's chances of being able to agree terms with the player. The Gunners' current highest earner is Bukayo Saka on £300,000 a week. They'd therefore have to break their wage structure to have even a remote chance of landing Vinicius.
All of this comes before negotiating a signing-on fee, agent fees and a transfer fee with Real Madrid. While the Spanish outfit won't have much leverage if Vinicius turns down the proposals on offer, given he has 12 months left on his contract at the Bernabeu, they'd still likely look for compensation in the £150 million range, at a minimum.
Essentially, this would be one of the most astronomically expensive deals in the history of football, and Arsenal will need to look for inventive accounting methods to make it happen.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
All 10 found — excellent!
Arsenal Need to Sell Gabriel Martinelli to Fund Vinicius Junior Move
gabriel martinelli
One way of making a deal for Vinicius more likely is by shifting players currently in Arteta's squad. Leandro Trossard has already left the North London club, while Gabriel Martinelli is another who could make way.
Martinelli has already been linked with an Arsenal exit, with the likes of Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich cited as potential suitors. The calibre of clubs supposedly interested, combined with his age and relatively impressive pedigree, means that the Gunners should be able to command in excess of £50 million for the 25-year-old.
The Brazilian will need to be sacrificed if Arsenal are to sign Vinicius. Not only would his services become redundant with the Real Madrid star an option at the Emirates, but he's also one of the only saleable assets currently plying their trade in N5.
According to Capology, Martinelli, described as "unstoppable", is currently on a lucrative £180,000-a-week contract at Arsenal. He only has a year left on this deal, exacerbating the need to sell him, and while this wouldn't save the sort of money that would fund a move for Vinicius, every little helps.
The Gunners need to raise funds for the total investment in the superstar winger, and sanctioning Martinelli's departure would be a good first step. The 24-year-old has developed cult hero status in North London for playing an ever-present role in Arteta's evolving project, and contributing to last season's Premier League title win, so letting him go will be a difficult decision for Arsenal supporters to take, from a sentimental perspective. However, it's a necessary move if they want to make this sensational statement signing.
Another ploy that could help them is selling Vinicius and Martinelli's compatriot, Gabriel Jesus. The former Manchester City striker may not garner much of a fee at this stage of his career, but he's Arsenal's third-highest earner on £280,00-a-week.
With Trossard, Jesus and Martinelli's salaries off the wage bill, a move for Vinicius might just become economically viable.