Another blow for Arsenal as Vinicius Jr snubs Emirates
Arsenal have been dealt another major transfer blow this summer after Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr has supposedly rejected a move to the Emirates Stadium, with the Brazil international instead set to sign a new contract at the Bernabéu.
This is coming ess than 24 hours after reports said he was on the Gunners’ shortlist of attacking targets.
Having been stunned by Chelsea’s audacious hijack of the Morgan Rogers deal, Arsenal have found the search for a marquee wide attacker increasingly frustrating.
Vinicius Jr is entering the final 12 months of his contract at Real Madrid, making a resolution this summer inevitable. Contract talks are set to resume next week, with both club and player determined to reach an agreement. The prospect of competing for minutes against incoming signing Yan Diomande, has not deterred the Brazilian from committing his future to the Galacticos.
His wages of £400,000 a week and a £140 million valuation would have represented a significant financial challenge for Arsenal, had he expressed interest in the move.
With Vinicius Jr now off the table, attention turns to the other names on Arsenal’s shortlist, and the picture there is equally complicated.
Bradley Barcola has ended contract extension talks with Paris Saint-Germain, and the Champions League winners are prepared to cash in on the forward who has two years remaining on his deal.
However, PSG are demanding more than £100 million for the winger, a figure that could prove prohibitive given Arsenal were unwilling to exceed £80 million in their pursuit of Morgan Rogers.
Whoever Arsenal ultimately target, they are likely to face competition from Liverpool, who are also in the market for a wide forward and had similarly been linked with Vinicius Jr.
Looking towards the future, Arsenal’s summer remains active on multiple fronts. Christos Tzolis has arrived from Club Brugge for £34 million as a direct Trossard replacement.
The Gunners remain in pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes, with talks with Newcastle accelerating according to separate reports, but the search for a left winger continues.
After the Rogers miss and now the Vinicius Jr rejection, Arsenal need a solution and the window and opportunities are closing.
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