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Arsenal## Arsenal transfer round-up as the Gunners chase Vinicius Jr
06:00, 27 Jul 2026
Arsenal's summer transfer activity has been thrown into the spotlight amid their interest in a blockbuster transfer for Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr.
Any potential move for Vinicius – who found the net 22 times for Real last term and bagged four goals at the World Cup – remains at a preliminary stage as Mikel Arteta seeks a statement signing to build on the club's first Premier League crown in over 20 years.
The 26-year-old certainly fits that profile, alongside other targets including Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez, RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande and Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola.
Arsenal have already strengthened their forward line with the £34million acquisition of Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, but securing Vinicius would be seen as the Premier League's biggest deal of the summer. Here's a summary of the latest Gunners transfer developments...
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Vinicius' stance
Despite the buzz amongst Arsenal supporters, reports indicate that Vinicius remains inclined towards remaining at Real Madrid, notwithstanding his contractual standoff with the club.
With only a year left on his existing contract, Los Blancos are keen to prevent losing him on a free transfer next summer. According to Spanish media, he is requesting a pay rise that would elevate his salary to approximately £17m net per year.
According to AS, discussions between the player and the club are set to resume within days of his return from a post-World Cup holiday. Vinicius and his representatives are seeking clarification on two crucial matters: his role under returning manager Jose Mourinho and whether he can secure a salary that reflects his global status in the game.
Mourinho, who has penned a three-year contract at the Bernabeu, faced criticism for remarks after Vinicius accused Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him during a Champions League fixture in February.
However, Mourinho, who was managing Benfica at that time, is reportedly keen for Vinicius and the club's other leading players to remain. AS says the intention of both sides is to agree a new deal.
Barcola seeks exit
Barcola has told PSG he will not be signing a new contract amid Arsenal's interest in the France World Cup star.
Barcola has been instrumental in PSG's recent success but may find himself lower in the hierarchy as Luis Enrique seeks to reshape his attacking options, potentially including bringing in Diomande.
Regardless of whether PSG secure Diomande, it seems Barcola is determined to depart, having made it clear to the club that he is unwilling to prolong his stay. The 23-year-old's deal with the European champions has two years remaining.
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