Gary Neville has stated he is 'not surprised' that Arsenal were rejected by Vinicius Junior, as the Real Madrid forward prioritises a contract extension in the Spanish capital. The former Manchester United defender described the potential signing as 'spectacular' but acknowledged the difficulty of luring top talents from Real Madrid.
Vinicius Junior's Contract Situation
Vinicius has entered the final 12 months of his current contract with Real Madrid, and negotiations over a renewal have stalled. Premier League champions Arsenal saw an opportunity and approved a bid 'at all levels' within the club's hierarchy, according to reports. However, Vinicius has 'prioritised' resolving his future with Los Blancos, aiming to extend his deal beyond next season.
Real Madrid, under manager Jose Mourinho, have no intention of losing the 26-year-old Brazilian. Mourinho has urged club officials to do everything possible to keep him. Madrid-based publication AS reports that Vinicius' camp is preparing to meet with club officials in Valdebebas within the next week to finalise terms.
Neville's Reaction
Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville commented on Arsenal's interest: 'I just saw the rumour, I didn't know how much truth there was in it. Obviously it would have been a spectacular signing but I'm not surprised that he would stay in Madrid.' He added that the Premier League rarely beats Barcelona and Real Madrid to the world's top players, a trend spanning decades.
Vinicius' Loyalty to Real Madrid
According to AS editor-in-chief Tomas Roncero, Vinicius has told close friends he wants his future resolved quickly to avoid Real Madrid losing him for free next summer. The 2024 Ballon d'Or runner-up feels indebted to the club for taking a 'gamble' on him when he signed from Flamengo at age 18 for €45 million. Roncero told Cadena SER's El Larguero: 'In recent weeks, he's been saying to those around him that he doesn't want to leave without Real Madrid receiving a single euro: "I can't leave Madrid for free because Madrid took me in when I was 18, from a humble family, with a difficult social and personal situation, and they believed in me."'
Roncero emphasised that while agents may be more calculating, Vinicius' personal stance is to ensure the club is compensated. 'Maybe his agents are more calculating when it comes to negotiations, but that's what Vinicius is saying, that he can't leave Madrid for free,' Roncero added.
