Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior speaking
Arsenal's chances of signing Vinicius Jr could be boosted by a key factor within the Real Madrid squad, according to one expert.
The Gunners are hoping to convince Vinicius to join the club this summer on a deal that would almost certainly be the most expensive in Premier League history.
That record has already been broken once this summer, by Chelsea's signing of Morgan Rogers, but Vinicius is going to cost more than that if he does leave, and he will almost certainly become the Premier League's highest-paid player if he does leave Real Madrid, which is no certainty.
Los Blancos are trying to tie the Brazilian down to a new deal just under a year before his current deal expires, but they are said to be around €8million apart in their salary negotiations at this stage. Arsenal are hoping to swoop for Vinicius if he does decide to leave, and there could be a lesser-known factor at play.
Vinicius and Mbappe's relationship could be key
REUTERS/Ana Beltran
According to South American football expert Tim Vickery, Vinicius joining Arsenal is 'certainly a possibility' this summer, and discussing some of the reasons the winger might leave Real Madrid, he highlighted the rocky relationship he has with fellow forward Kylian Mbappe.
When asked if their relationship is strained, Vickery said: "Without a doubt, yes - very much so. It’s not only a battle of egos, it’s not only a battle to be number one, it’s also the fact that tactically they like the same space," Vickery, who is based in Brazil, told Sky Sports.
"You would think of Vini Jr as a winger and Mbappe as a striker, but both of them have little bits of the other.
"It’s very hard to fit the two of them in the same side, Ancelotti couldn’t do it and Ancelotti is a master at adapting and getting the best out of what he’s got. The Mbappe thing is undoubtedly a problem for Vini Jr."
Vinicius Jr fee would be among the biggest of all time
Phil Noble via Action Images via Reuters
Reports in Spain suggest Arsenal would have to pay as much as £145.6million to sign Vinicius, if the Brazilian does decide to leave. That would smash the current British record, which was that £117million deal that took Rogers to Chelsea this summer. The Rogers deal was the second time the record had been broken this summer, with Elliot Anderson joining Manchester City for £116million a couple of weeks before.
Arsenal would likely try to reduce that fee with the knowledge that Vinicius has less than a year remaining on his deal, and they would certainly be helped if the winger committed to not signing a deal, leaving Real Madrid to choose between a giant profit now and a free exit next summer.