“One more meeting” – Fabrizio Romano reveals Vinicius Jr to Arsenal update as agents fly in
Arsenal are still hoping to sign Vinicius Junior after finally getting the Bruno Guimaraes deal over the line, with Fabrizio Romano now delivering a fresh update on the Brazilian’s Real Madrid future.
Arsenal agree £75m Bruno Guimaraes signing
Guimaraes’ move to the Emirates has been one of the summer’s longest-running sagas, but it finally has its resolution. Lengthy negotiations between Arsenal and Newcastle have produced a full agreement worth £75m, with personal terms having been in place since July.
The Brazil international, who captained Newcastle, becomes Arteta’s latest midfield addition, giving the manager a player who can operate deeper or as a No.8 and add flexibility alongside Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Martin Odegaard.
|
Arsenal’s new-look midfield |
Role |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Declan Rice |
Defensive/box-to-box |
First-choice pivot, record signing |
|
Martin Zubimendi |
Defensive midfield |
Up and down first season but crucial metronome in the middle |
|
Bruno Guimaraes |
Midfield anchor/carrier |
Adds ball-carrying, press-resistance and end product |
|
Martin Odegaard |
Attacking midfield |
Captain, creative hub |
|
Mikel Merino |
Central/box-to-box |
Squad rotation, used as a super sub in forward positions |
|
Eberechi Eze |
Attacking midfield |
Competes with Odegaard for the No. 10, can play off the left |
|
Christian Norgaard |
Defensive midfield |
Depth option, signed from Brentford |
|
Myles Lewis-Skelly |
Central/left midfield |
Homegrown, flexible across midfield and defence |
Newcastle hoped to bring in a similar fee to their £100m sale of Sandro Tonali, but compromised with Arsenal after the player made it clear this was his last chance to move somewhere to compete for big titles.
The Gunners are also expected to add to their attacking ranks this summer, with Leandro Trossard having already departed and questions persisting around the future of Gabriel Martinelli.
Vinicius Junior set for final contract showdown with Real Madrid
That’s where Vinicius Jr comes in, and Romano has now provided a significant update on the winger’s Real Madrid situation in his latest Youtube video, published in the wake of Bruno’s deal being agreed.
“The agents of Vinicius Jr, the same agency of Yan Diomande, they arrived in Madrid yesterday to have conversations with Real Madrid, to welcome Diomande but also to have these negotiations with Real Madrid for Vinicius Jr,” he said.
“So there will be a new important round of talks between Vinicius Jr, his agents and Real Madrid over the contract situation.
“The agreement was not reached in the last two, three meetings they had, with counter proposals on one side and the other, so still points to discuss.
“One more meeting is going to take place – and it’s going to be important – in the next hours.”
Romano also says Madrid want the situation resolved ‘as soon as possible’ and that the club refuse to get deep into 2027 without knowing whether he’s going to sign or not.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are showing just how serious their interest is. Andrea Berta are reportedly ready to ‘gamble’ by offering Vinicius Jr a record-breaking Premier League contract, with a figure that would need to surpass Erling Haaland’s current £525,000-a-week deal at Manchester City, working out at more than £27.3 million per year before bonuses.
On top of that salary, Real Madrid are expected to demand a transfer fee in excess of £128m, meaning Arsenal would need to commit to a record-breaking fee as well.
Vinicius has been in outstanding form for Madrid, racking up 23 goals and 11 assists across all competitions last season, a tally that ranks him second only to Kylian Mbappe among Madrid’s attackers, and marking the fifth straight campaign in which he’s hit 20-plus goal contributions.
Should the Vinicius deal prove too difficult to complete, Arsenal do have alternatives lined up on the wing. Ferran Torres has emerged as an option, with Arteta a long-time admirer of the Barcelona forward from their time together at Manchester City, though a deal would likely cost in the region of £43m.
Bradley Barcola has also appeared on the radar after rejecting a new PSG contract, with the club placing a £145m price tag on the forward, though reports suggest Liverpool remains his preferred destination.
