Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly making contact with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior | Goal.com

Published on 03 Aug 2026 | Reading time: 2 minutes

According to a report by the Spanish newspaper AS, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has already made initial contact with the Brazil international. Arteta is said to have assured Vini Jr. that he is Arsenal's top target and that the new project in London, should a transfer happen, would revolve around him.

Back in Madrid after his Club World Cup holiday on Sunday, Vinicius is expected to hold talks there with new manager Jose Mourinho in the coming days to explain his intentions.

Madrid reportedly want a quick decision from the 26-year-old. His choice comes down to two options: extend at Real or move to Arsenal this summer. Los Blancos are keen to avoid letting the Brazilian leave on a free transfer in 2027 when his current contract expires.

For around a year and a half, the question of whether Vinicius will extend his contract at the Bernabeu has hung in the air. The winger is still broadly thought to see his future with Los Blancos, but negotiations have hit financial obstacles.

Reports have repeatedly differed on how unbridgeable those obstacles are. According to a recent report by The Athletic , the positions of club and player still differ significantly.

Since spring 2025, Vinicius's camp are said to have been pushing for a total package worth just under €30 million per year. That package is also said to include a signing bonus, which The Athletic describes as the sticking point because Real reportedly have no intention of agreeing to it.

That is where Arsenal come into the picture. According to The Athletic , the Gunners have been using Vinicius's unclear situation for months to sound out the framework for a possible mega transfer behind the scenes. English media recently reported in unison that Arsenal are planning a record bid for Vinicius and want to make the dribbler the highest-paid player in the club's history.

Even so, the Brazilian is unlikely to come cheap. Despite a contract that now runs only until next summer, Real Madrid are still said to be demanding no less than €150 million in transfer fee should Vinicius decide not to extend his deal.

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