Premier League champions Arsenal have reportedly agreed "personal terms in principle" with Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian winger's agency, Roc Nation, will reach out to Real Madrid with an astronomical offer soon, the report added.
It was earlier reported that Vinicius will not ultimately leave Real Madrid but the whole "Arsenal saga" was an effort to ensure maximum payment from his club when the extension talks restart. Newly appointed manager José Mourinho was also against letting the attacker leave.
As per July reports, Arsenal were open to paying at least €160 million (£136.6 million) to Real Madrid for their Brazilian winger.
Vini has got just one year left on his Real Madrid contract and it remains to be seen how the club-to-club talks progress. If the 26-year-old is hell-bent on leaving, then denying Arsenal is a major risk for Los Blancos, as a broken relationship could lead to their superstar walking out on free agency next summer. If they wait for a winter move, cunning suitors will try to make the most of their desperation, offering pitiable sums.
Vinicius, who has scored 128 goals in 376 games for Real Madrid, has long been a headache for the club as contract extension talks have failed multiple times. The talks were stalled for many months as the two parties couldn't reach a middle ground over his salary demands. He initially wanted payment at par with Kylian Mbappé — the highest-paid star in the Los Blancos squad. The talks stalled as Real categorically denied this demand. His current deal is set to run out in the summer of 2027.
Arsenal have long been asked to look for an upgrade to Vinicius's international teammate Gabriel Martinelli on the left flank of the attack. It was earlier reported that Arsenal's Premier League rivals Manchester City and Liverpool were also interested in Vinicius, apart from cash-rich Saudi clubs. Some of these parties have reportedly held talks with Vini's camp since the FIFA World Cup 2026.
