Arsenal have continued to be linked with Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr
Lukas Podolski is congratulated on scoring Arsenal's 2nd goal by Aaron Ramsey, Olivier Giroud, Mikel Arteta and Mesut Ozil during the match between Hull City and Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League at KC Stadium on April 20, 2014 in Hull, England.
Arsenal have done business with Real Madrid before(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Arsenal and Real Madrid have a history of conducting business together in the transfer market. And that could be extended if the Gunners make an official approach for Vinicius Jr. The Brazilian has been linked with a move to north London after entering the final year of his contract in Spain.
Mikel Arteta has become 'smitten' with the idea of signing Vini and is viewed internally as the club's priority target. Negotiations are yet to begin and the Brazil international is said to be keen on the idea of remaining in La Liga.
However, he "wants to feel loved" and Arteta could provide that player-manager bond that the 26-year-old desires. If he does end up switching from one capital to another, it wouldn't represent the first time such a move has taken place.
141-goal striker
Julio Baptista, nicknamed 'The Beast' for his physical presence, joined Arsenal on loan during the 2006/07 season from Real. Arsene Wenger had previously tried to convince the attack to head to north London but he opted for Spain instead.
Jose Antonio Reyes went to Real while Baptista headed to Arsenal but he struggled to adapt to the English game. He scored just three Premier League goals across 24 appearances but found some form in cup competitions, notably scoring four against Liverpool at Anfield in a League Cup quarter-final.
Julio Baptista.
Julio Baptista didn't exactly thrive at Arsenal(Image: Christian Liewig / Icon Sport via Getty Images)
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Throughout his career, which included stints at Sevilla, Roma, Sao Paulo and CFR Cluj, Baptista scored 141 goals and assisted 34 times.
£42.5m star
In 2013, Arsenal broke their club transfer record by securing Mesut Ozil for £42.5m. The attacking midfielder spent three years at Real, scoring 27 goals and assisting 80 times across 159 appearances.
He became the most expensive German player of all time with his transfer to Arsenal. Florian Wirtz now holds that title with his £116m move to Liverpool.
Mesut Ozil.
Mesut Ozil was a gamechanger for the Gunners(Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
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Ozil's time at the Gunners was just as prolific as his playmaking in Spain, making 121 goal contributions and winning four FA Cups. The Germany international also won the World Cup one year after signing for Arsenal and earned 97 caps for his country.
However, the midfielder's time in north London ended on a sour note as he was left out of matchday squads and eventually departed the club in 2021. He had stints at Fenerbahce and Istanbul Basaksehir before retiring in 2023.
Real wonderkid
Martin Odegaard became Real's next wonderkid with his transfer from Stromsgodset in 2015. The midfielder only made 11 official appearances for the La Liga giants but was a teenager during the majority of his career in Spain.
Kai Havertz, Christian Norgaard, Leandro Trossard, Viktor Gyoekeres, Ben White of Arsenal, Martin Odegaard of Arsenal pose for a photo with the Premier League trophy on the open top bus during the Arsenal Trophy Parade on May 31, 2026 in Islington, England. Arsenal clinched their first Premier League title in 22 years earlier this month.
Martin Odegaard joined the Gunners from Real and the rest is history(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Odegaard got his first minutes for Real after coming on for Cristiano Ronaldo at the age of 16 years and 157 days old - and he still remains the club's youngest ever debutant to this day. After loans to Vitesse and Real Sociedad, the midfielder joined Arsenal temporarily to play the second half of the 2020/21 season.
He then made this move permanent, signing for the Gunners in a deal worth an initial £30m. Just a year later, Odegaard was made club captain and has gone from strength to strength since.
Across 234 appearances, the 27-year-old has made 88 goal contributions and recently helped win Arsenal's first Premier League title since 2004. He is contracted to the Gunners until 2028.