Arsenal's squad are reportedly convinced that Mikel Arteta will secure a sensational move for Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior, following the imminent arrival of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United. According to Spanish outlet AS, the Gunners' dressing room already consider the Brazilian's transfer a 'done deal', with players having discussed the potential signing with sporting director Andrea Berta.
Arsenal's summer business heats up
After a quiet start to the transfer window, which saw only Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier arrive at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal are now accelerating their recruitment. The Premier League champions are closing in on Guimaraes, who Arteta has identified as his top midfield target. Newcastle were initially reluctant to sell, but a breakthrough has been made in negotiations.
While finalising the Guimaraes deal, Arsenal have also expressed interest in an audacious move for Vinicius. The 26-year-old is in a contract dispute with Real Madrid and, with his current deal entering its final year, the Spanish giants may be forced to sell this summer to avoid losing him for free in 12 months.
Board sanctions £128m move
The Arsenal board has sanctioned a big-money move for Vinicius, who is valued at €150 million (£128 million) by Madrid and earns nearly £300,000 per week. Arteta has reportedly assured the winger of his desire to bring him to north London, outlining his ambitions in hopes of convincing the Brazilian to end his successful stint at the Bernabeu.
Vinicius' preference is believed to be to stay in Madrid, but the Arsenal squad are confident he will join the Premier League champions, according to AS. The report claims that players have already mentioned Vinicius in conversations with Andrea Berta, indicating a strong belief within the camp that the transfer will happen.
Carragher doubts the deal
Despite the optimism at Arsenal, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has played down the chances of the transfer materialising. Speaking on the Football Ramble podcast, Carragher said: 'I think the Vinicius Junior thing is really interesting in that I do think they need something like that to win the Champions League. Obviously you've proven you can win the league but I just can't see Arsenal winning it because those players… think of the teams that win the Champions League, think of the guy up front or the winger, it's top-five players in the world.'
Carragher also questioned whether Arteta would be willing to sacrifice his tactical structure to accommodate a player like Vinicius. He added: 'But is Arteta almost giving up something that he loves in terms of these wingers just permanently running back and helping the full-back, being in this block on the edge of their box… saying, "I've actually got to roll the dice here… OK, I've got to lose a bit of that to gain a bit of that", and then there's still no guarantee.'
Despite his doubts, Carragher expressed a desire to see the move happen, noting the lack of top attacking talent in the Premier League. He highlighted that at the recent World Cup semi-final stage, which featured France, Spain, England, and Argentina, no Premier League attacker played a significant role, except for Morgan Rogers, who only featured due to fitness concerns.
'For us to get somebody I think would be amazing. I just can't see it happening. He's surely doing it to get a new contract at Real Madrid,' Carragher concluded.
Vinicius' impressive record
Vinicius has scored 128 goals in 376 appearances for Real Madrid, winning three La Liga titles and the Champions League twice. His potential arrival at Arsenal would mark a significant statement of intent as the club looks to retain their Premier League crown and mount a serious challenge for European glory.
With the transfer window still open, Arsenal fans will be eagerly watching to see if the club can pull off one of the most shocking moves of the summer. While doubts remain, the confidence within the squad suggests that a deal could be closer than many expect.
