Mikel Arteta will want to wrap up the signing of Vinicius Jr before Arsenal lock horns with Manchester City in the Community Shield.
12:00, 28 Jul 2026
Vinicius Jr has already proved that he's more than capable of tipping the scales in the Premier League title race this season. The Real Madrid winger has recently been linked with a move to Arsenal as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his frontline, but Andrea Berta is yet to wrap up a deal.
football.london understands that the Gunners are interested in signing Vinicius Jr, whose contract at the Santiago Bernabeu expires next year. Arsenal are willing to break the bank for the Brazil international if he becomes available.
Los Blancos are expected to hold talks with Vinicius Jr this week to resolve his future in the Spanish capital. From January, clubs outside of Spain, like the Gunners, will be eligible to open pre-contract talks with the 26-year-old over a free transfer in the summer of 2027.
Unless he suddenly decides to extend his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid will be forced to make a difficult call. They will have to consider whether they'd rather risk losing Vinicius Jr for free at the end of the season or cut their losses and cash in before it's too late.
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With time running out, the Brazilian has emerged as a potential target for Arsenal. If Berta were to secure his signature, he would be arming Arteta with one of the best players in the world, who already has a great record against Premier League clubs.
In 24 appearances across the Champions League against Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea, Vinicius Jr has scored nine goals and provided 12 assists. He also featured against Arsenal in the first and second legs of the quarter-final last term, finding the net in a 2-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Although the transfer window doesn't shut until the start of September, Arteta will be keen to get Vinicius Jr through the door before the Community Shield. On Sunday, August 16, the Gunners will have the chance to win another piece of silverware when they lock horns with Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.
Having scored four goals and provided six assists in just 12 meetings with Pep Guardiola's former side, the Real Madrid talisman could swing the tie in Arsenal's favour. So, Berta only has two and a half weeks or so to get his hands on Vinicius Jr.
As it stands, it remains unclear if the Gunners will submit a bid for the Brazilian, but Arteta wants a ticket in the race. Two years ago, the Spaniard outlined his ambition to be in the conversation when the best players in the world become available to sign.
Ahead of a clash against Burnley in February 2024, Arteta was quizzed on whether he's been involved in talks regarding the potential signing of Kylian Mbappe, who had recently told Paris Saint-Germain that he wanted to leave.
The Arsenal boss said: "I'm not. Maybe Edu and the owners are, but I'm not involved until the last stage."
When asked whether it's a case of why not, Arteta replied: "Exactly. Why not? If we want to be the best team, then you need to have the best players, that's for sure."
Asked whether Arsenal would be an appealing destination for a player like Mbappe, he said: "The club that we are, I don't think that's ever been an issue. Everyone wants to play for Arsenal.
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"At least with the players we've discussed, they've always had a smile on their face when you open the door to that discussion. That's because of our history and everything we've done in the past."
Arteta added: "When there is a player of that calibre, we always have to be in that conversation. But it looks in a different way, that's what I would say."