Despite contract uncertainty, Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior is reportedly prepared to reject Arsenal’s interest in extending his stay at the Spanish powerhouses.
The Brazilian has emerged as one of several attacking options on Arsenal’s shortlist, with reports suggesting the Premier League club has been monitoring his situation. However, the Gunners are yet to make a formal approach.
Vinicius has entered the final 12 months of his current contract with Real Madrid, and negotiations over a new deal have yet to be concluded.
According to Diario AS, the 26-year-old has no desire to leave the Santiago Bernabéu this summer and instead wants to sign a contract extension with the La Liga champions. Talks between the two parties are expected to resume next week.
The report added that the gap between Vinicius’ salary demands and Real Madrid’s latest offer is relatively small, raising optimism that an agreement can be reached.
Vinicius’ commitment to staying at Real Madrid comes despite the club’s reported pursuit of RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande in a deal believed to be worth more than £100 million.
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Should the move go through, Diomande and Vinicius would compete for places on the left side of the attack.
The development is likely to come as a setback for Arsenal, who had identified the Brazil international as a potential addition to strengthen their forward line.
Even if the player had been open to a move, any deal would have been financially challenging for the North London club, with Vinicius reportedly earning around £400,000 a week.
Accommodating those wages could have complicated Arsenal’s plans to hand improved contracts to key figures, including midfielder Declan Rice and manager Mikel Arteta.
The report also claimed that newly appointed Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho has made it clear he does not want to lose any of his senior players during the current transfer window.
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