Real Madrid forward, Vinicius Junior, has told his close associates his intention to settle his future this summer, aiming to avoid the possibility of departing Real Madrid on a free transfer in a year.
The 26-year-old forward has only one year left on his current contract at the Bernabeu, and Premier League champions Arsenal have taken notice of the situation as they seek to enhance their attack with a truly world-class player.
Reports from Sunday indicated that Arsenal’s management has approved the proposed transfer ‘at all levels’, with Mikel Arteta being ‘absolutely enamored’ with the prospect of bringing the Brazilian star to north London.
Nevertheless, Jose Mourinho has expressed to Madrid’s decision-makers his strong opposition to the idea of losing Vinicius Junior before the new season begins, while the player himself has ‘prioritized’ reaching an agreement for a renewal with Los Blancos.
Despite these apparent challenges, the Gunners remain undeterred and are willing to offer Vinicius a salary exceeding £350,000 per week, making him the highest-paid player at the club, far surpassing others.
It is reported that Madrid and Vinicius are planning to initiate a new round of contract discussions once the forward returns from his hometown of Sao Goncalo, where he has been enjoying a brief respite following the World Cup.
Both parties are eager to achieve a resolution promptly, and while his future remains somewhat ambiguous, Vinicius has been conveying to those close to him his desire to remain with the club for the long term.
As per Spanish journalist Tomas Roncero, this motivation is partly fueled by Vinicius’ wish to repay Madrid for the ‘gamble’ they took on him when he was merely 18 years old.
Roncero, the editor-in-chief of AS, shared with Cadena SER’s El Larguero programme: ‘In recent weeks, he has expressed to those close to him that he does not wish to depart without Real Madrid receiving any financial compensation: “I cannot leave Madrid without a single euro because Madrid welcomed me at the age of 18, coming from a modest background, facing challenging social and personal circumstances, and they had faith in me.
“They invested €45 million when it was merely a risk, a promise, nothing more. “Madrid has provided me with everything; I cannot leave without ensuring that there is not a single euro left in the bank,” I am relaying what he has communicated to his friends.”
Although Roncero was hesitant to speak on behalf of those surrounding Vinicius, he firmly stated that the player himself is determined to eliminate any possibility of becoming a free agent in a year’s time.
“Perhaps his agents are more strategic regarding negotiations,’ he added.
“But that is what Vinicius is conveying, that he cannot leave Madrid without financial compensation.”
Since joining the Spanish giants from Flamengo in 2017, when he was still a teenager, Vinicius has recorded 128 goals and 100 assists in 375 appearances for Madrid.
During this period, Vinicius has contributed to Madrid’s success, helping the team secure 14 trophies, including three La Liga titles and two Champions League titles.
Arsenal has already taken steps to enhance their attacking lineup with the summer acquisition of Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for an estimated fee of around £34 million.
The newly crowned English champions have also signed goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a free transfer, while exercising their £35 million option to permanently acquire Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen.
Transfer: What Real Madrid star, Vinicius Jr told friends about Arsenal move