Arsenal's pursuit of Vinicius Junior has ended after the winger signed a new deal with Real Madrid, leaving Mikel Arteta to consider his next move
Vinicius Jr
Arsenal will not sign Vinicius Junior(Image: Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
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After weeks of intense speculation and plenty of hope on the part of the Arsenal faithful, the Vinicius Junior to north London transfer saga has come to an end. And it’s not the outcome the Gunners wanted.
The red half of north London was sent into a frenzy two weeks ago as reports emerged of Arsenal’s concrete interest in the Real Madrid superstar. Given Vinicius’ deal was set to expire and Real were refusing to improve on their latest contract offer, which was below the Brazilian’s expectations, there was a real belief that Arsenal could pull off a stunning coup.
That sentiment gathered even more momentum as the Premier League champions prepared a huge financial package for Vinicius and reportedly even spoke to the player directly. But despite doing everything in their power to bring him to the Emirates Stadium, Vinicius reached an agreement over a new Los Blancos contract on Thursday, less than 24 hours after a crunch meeting with club officials.
It was always a highly ambitious and difficult deal to pull off due to the Brazilian’s preference to stay in Madrid and the La Liga giants not wanting to lose their talisman, though that won’t ease the bitter disappointment of losing out on a truly world class player.
7 - Iliman Ndiaye
There are suggestions that Arteta is interested in Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye. The 26-year-old has reportedly rejected a contract offer at Everton but is still believed to cost in the region of £75m.
The Senegalese registered six goals and three assists last season, which only adds to the underwhelming feeling surrounding this particular transfer target. Ndiaye may be Premier League-proven and a good player for Everton, but he is far from world class and arguably isn’t better than Arsenal’s current options. He would be a hugely disappointing signing compared to someone of Vinicius’ calibre, especially given he’d cost such a hefty sum.
6 - Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford of England
Rashford's wages are too high(Image: Hannah Peters - FIFA, FIFA via Getty Images)
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Marcus Rashford seems to be linked with a move to Arsenal every summer. That’s somewhat understandable given his situation at Manchester United and just how effective the forward can be on his day, as shown by his 10 goal involvements against the Gunners in 17 Premier League appearances.
But the 28-year-old’s form is hit or miss at the best of times and wouldn’t justify the £325,000-a-week salary Arsenal would be expected to offer him if they pursue a permanent deal. It would make him Arsenal’s top earner ahead of Bukayo Saka, ripping apart their carefully planned wage structure. Rashford’s astronomical wages may well be the reason Barcelona shrewdly opted not to exercise the option-to-buy deal they had negotiated with United earlier this summer.
5 - Rafael Leao
Rafael Leao could join Manchester United this summer
Rafael Leao has been offered to several clubs including Arsenal(Image: Getty Images)
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Not too long ago, Rafael Leao was one of Europe’s most highly rated young wingers and the general perception was that he wasn’t too far off Vinicius in terms of raw ability. But the Portuguese has endured two underwhelming seasons that have greatly reduced external interest in him. That, along with the fact he is now 27 and already in his physical peak with no upside, has reportedly reduced AC Milan’s asking price to £45m-£50m.
Leao has also reportedly been offered to Arsenal and several other clubs. While tempting, this signing is a risk Arteta should not take. There are big question marks over his suitability to the Premier League, given his lack of urgency when pressing and the higher quality of defenders he would have to face compared to Serie A.
4 - Nico Williams
Nico Williams of Athletic Club carries the ball during the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal match between Athletic Club and Real Sociedad at Estadio de San Mames on February 11, 2026 in Bilbao, Spain.
Nico Williams has a £77m release clause(Image: Ion Alcoba Beitia, Getty Images)
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That has seemingly been to his own detriment, with the winger failing to fulfil his world class potential since and scoring just 16 goals in La Liga across his last three seasons. Reports claim his contract includes a release clause worth around £77m (€90), which remains well within Arsenal’s reach.
Although he possesses the kind of flair and dribbling Arteta requires on the left flank, Williams’ poor stats in a noticeably worse league, as well as his recent injuries, suggest he would struggle to have the kind of impact Arsenal want from such an expensive signing.
3 - Stick with current players
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Sporting Director Andrea Berta with new signing Christos Tzolis at Sobha Realty Training Centre
Arsenal have already signed Christos Tzolis (Image: Getty )
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Of course, another option, given the lack of quality available on the transfer market currently, is to go into the new season without making another left wing signing. That is borderline shocking to think given the position has been a clear weakness for the Gunners for three years.
But they have already signed Christos Tzolis for £34m this summer. While the Greek international isn’t a flashy name and was brought as a direct replacement for Leandro Trossard, he has looked impressive in pre-season and, along with Gabriel Martinelli, means Arteta is well-stocked in terms of depth in that position.
The Spaniard should also look to deploy Eberechi Eze out on the left more frequently, where he most notably looked impressive away at Manchester City last season. With the market looking so barren, relying on these three options would allow Arteta to bolster the centre forward position instead this summer, until a suitable left winger emerges either in January or next year.
2 - Bradley Barcola
Bradley Barcola #29 of Paris Saint-Germain F.C. is all smiles after receiving a FIFA FC 2026 award after the Ligue 1 McDonald's regular season match between the Paris Saint Germain (PSG) and the Brest on May 10, 2026 in Parc des Princes, France.
Arsenal and Liverpool have both been linked with Barcola(Image: Getty)
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If they deem it necessary to sign a left winger this month, Arteta and Andrea Berta should look to hijack Bradley Barcola’s likely move to Liverpool. Arsenal were interested in signing the PSG winger earlier this summer before going all-in on Vinicius.
Yet, even then, Arteta’s preference was to sign Morgan Rogers, who ended up joining Chelsea in a staggering £117m deal. PSG’s eye-watering valuation of Barcola at £128m is thought to be putting off the Gunners.
Additionally, Barcola is said to favour a move to Liverpool, making a potential deal even more difficult. It's been reported that he's already spoken to Andoni Iraola and he's giving his priority to the Reds over other interested clubs. Therefore, Barcola should only be pursued if the Gunners’ decision-makers believe he is available and financially realistic, given there is no doubting his ability.
1 - Kenan Yildiz
Kenan Yildiz of Juventus
Kenan Yildiz would be Arsenal's best option this summer(Image: (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images))
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Aside from Barcola, the only winger with world class potential that Arsenal have even a slight chance of signing is Kenan Yildiz of Juventus. The Gunners enquired about the 21-year-old earlier this year but were told he was not for sale, considering he signed a four-year contract back in February.
football.london reports Juventus also knocked back an enquiry from Arsenal for Yildiz earlier in the current window. The Turkish international is considered untouchable, but a massive transfer fee and an effort by the player to force an exit might tempt a sale.
Any deal would be very difficult to pull off and would require Arsenal to be creative in terms of their finances - just as they were when it came to forming Vinicius’ pay package. However, it would be well worth the hassle, given it could lead them to secure one of the brightest talents in Europe.