MADRID: Brazilian star Vinicius Junior reportedly wants to resolve his contract issues with Real Madrid and is not interested in considering an offer from Arsenal at the moment.
The Athletic’s report yesterday claimed that Arsenal are exploring the possibility of securing the services of the 26-year-old player, with the effort receiving full support from the Premier League club’s management.
Vinicius’ current contract with Real has only 12 months remaining, sparking speculation about his future at the Santiago Bernabeu as Arsenal look to add strength to their attacking line-up.
The rumours have intensified after Real reportedly reached personal terms with RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande, raising questions about whether Vinicius’ eight-year spell with the Spanish giants is coming to an end.
According to reports from AS, Vinicius feels undervalued due to ongoing speculation about Real’s interest in several other strikers such as Julian Alvarez, Michael Olise and Diomande.
However, the player who was runner-up in the 2024 Ballon d’Or is said to want to remain at Real, with his main priority being to reach an agreement on a new contract extension.
Vinicius wants the negotiation process to go smoothly without creating tensions like what happened last summer when contract talks stalled after the Club World Cup.
This approach also received support from Real management, who wanted to ensure that negotiations with Vinicius’ camp were going positively to end any doubts about the player’s future.
Contract talks are expected to resume next week after Vinicius returns from a short holiday in his hometown of Sao Goncalo, Brazil.
He is understood to want assurances about his role in Jose Mourinho’s first-team squad as well as a salary structure commensurate with his status.
Vinicius is reportedly demanding a salary of around 20 million euros net per season, an increase of 5 million euros compared to the earnings after his last contract renewal in 2022.
Since joining Real from Flamengo in 2017, the player has scored 128 goals and created 100 assists, in addition to helping the club win 14 trophies including three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues.