Arsenal are exploring a potential deal for Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior as the Premier League champions look to bolster their left-wing attacking options ahead of the new season.
There has been no club-to-club contact at this stage, but the interest is genuine. The Brazil international is one of several forward targets on Arsenal’s radar, alongside Julian Alvarez, Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola.
Vinicius Jr, 26, has entered the final year of his contract at the Bernabeu. Real Madrid could be open to selling this summer rather than risk losing him on a free transfer next year if a new deal cannot be agreed.
The Gunners sold Leandro Trossard to Besiktas for £17m earlier this summer and brought in Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £34m, but their other left-wing option, Gabriel Martinelli, managed just one Premier League goal last season — underlining the club’s need for reinforcement in that position.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up is currently on holiday following Brazil’s World Cup campaign.
Sky Sports’ Peter Smith described a move for the Brazilian as a potentially “jaw-dropping addition” for Arsenal, noting that with just one year left on his Real Madrid contract, this window could represent a rare opportunity for suitors to strike before the Spanish giants secure him to a new deal. Smith added that Vinicius Jr’s relationship with new Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho — under scrutiny after the winger was abused by Mourinho’s former Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni last season — appeared to have been smoothed over, with the pair reportedly ready to start the new campaign on a clean slate.
Still, with Arsenal’s interest now public, there is a real possibility Vinicius Jr could begin the 2026/27 season in the Premier League — a prospect Smith called thrilling for Arsenal fans and neutrals alike, but an unsettling one for the Gunners’ title rivals.
