Kim Price/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA via Reuters
Arsenal have suffered a major transfer blow with the news that Vinicius Junior is set to sign a new contract to extend his stay with Real Madrid, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Arsenal chiefs and manager Mikel Arteta will be well aware that while the club don't need a major overhaul of the squad this summer, they also can't afford to stand still if they want to retain their Premier League title and go one step further in the Champions League by winning it next season.
Their summer transfer window has been underwhelming so far in that regard, with Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier the only arrivals so far, with both likely to be back-up options.
Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes is set to join them in north London after the Gunners agreed a deal worth £75m with their Premier League rivals for the Brazilian, in a statement deal.
Arteta will want more though, with the attacking area one that still needs work, given the Spaniard is yet to land the left-sided player he wants, while the club continue to be linked with new strikers too, such as Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez.
The Argentina international is viewed as a dream signing for Arsenal, although his situation is complicated with Real Madrid and Barcelona both making bids for him this summer, and Atletico making it clear they have no interest in selling him to one of their LaLiga rivals.
Arsenal Miss Out on Vinicius Junior Deal
REUTERS/Paul Childs
Arsenal had made the Brazil international their top transfer target as they looked to add a high-profile left-sided attacker to Mikel Arteta's squad ahead of the new season, having missed out on signing Morgan Rogers to Chelsea.
The Gunners were all in on trying to persuade the 26-year-old to move to the Emirates, but it looks like they have failed in their mission with the Brazilian set to remain at the Bernabeu, according to Romano.
With 128 goals in 376 appearances for Real, it is no surprise that the north Londoners viewed Vinicius as a statement signing who could take them to the next level.
Arsenal Must Seal Bradley Barcola Move Instead
REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
If Arsenal want a similarly high-profile player who could be available on the market this summer, they should look no further than Paris Saint-Germain forward Bradley Barcola.
The 'elite' France international has decided he doesn't want to extend his contract at the Parc des Princes, with his deal due to expire in the summer of 2028.
PSG are ready to cash in on the 23-year-old this summer, but they are also demanding that their reported £140m valuation is met by any suitors.
Liverpool are determined to sign Barcola after seeing their bid to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig fall through, but while they are willing to pay around £100m for the Frenchman, there is still a gap in valuation.
Reports suggest that while Barcola is currently prioritising a move to Anfield, he is also 'open' to joining the Premier League champions, should they make their move.
Arsenal have a big opportunity to not only hijack their top-flight rivals to sign Barcola, but also land a player of huge quality who showed his top-class finishing ability for his country at the 2026 World Cup.
Mikel Arteta Arsenal 2026
Mikel Arteta Arsenal 2026