Agent reveals Vinicius Junior did 'seriously consider' Arsenal move
Vinicius Junior came closer to leaving Real Madrid for Arsenal in the summer than many supporters realised, according to one of his own representatives.
Michael Yormack, one of the Brazilian's agents, told Sports Boom that Arsenal made a determined push to sign the forward before he ultimately chose to stay in the Spanish capital. Arsenal are understood to have enquired about Vinicius Junior and reports suggested the club were prepared to offer him £18.5 million a year, which would have made him the highest paid player in the squad.
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"Arsenal were very involved. They were very aggressive," Yormack said. "Vini's heart is in Madrid, that's where he's always wanted to be, and that's where he is, and that's where he hopes to be for the rest of his career. I don't think there was ever a question."
He added: "Did he ever seriously consider Arsenal? I mean of course. When a team like Arsenal rolls out the red carpet for you and makes you feel really wanted, then obviously you have to listen."
Why he stayed put
Grant Veitch, another of the winger's agents at Roc Nation Sports International, explained that loyalty and familiarity with Madrid ultimately won out over any interest from north London.
"With Vini, he went to Madrid at a very young age, and I think there's an element of comfort, wanting to be there and wanting to build something at Real Madrid," Veitch said. "There were other opportunities that arose. But I think the level of comfort he has, and him already being a star at Real Madrid, it kept him there, and he wanted to stay."
Vinicius Junior has won La Liga three times and the Champions League twice since joining from Flamengo in 2018, scoring 129 goals in 386 appearances for the club. His contract expires at the end of the season, and Madrid's position is that he will need to lower his demands if an extension is to be agreed, even though the club would still be willing to make him joint highest earner alongside Kylian Mbappe.
The balance of power at the Bernabeu has shifted since Mbappe's arrival from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024, and speculation over Vinicius Junior's long term future has grown as a result. He has also been the target of repeated racist abuse in Spain, with more than 20 alleged incidents since his move from Brazil, something he has said he endures partly out of a refusal to "give the racists what they want."
Jose Mourinho recently said that, in the player's position, he "probably wouldn't be" at Real Madrid anymore, praising Vinicius Junior's resilience in staying out of loyalty to the club.
What it means for Arsenal
Arsenal signed only one senior attacker in the summer window, Christos Tzolis, who is currently sidelined through injury. Confirmation that the club went as far as offering a world record wage for Vinicius Junior underlines the scale of ambition in the transfer market, even if this particular pursuit did not come off. With his contract situation at Real Madrid still unresolved, Arsenal's interest may not have gone away entirely.
