Arsenal target Vinicius Junior has broken his silence regarding his future upon making his comeback to training at Real Madrid.
After weeks of continuous rumors concerning Vini Jr’s next steps alongside reported interest from Arsenal, the Brazilian attacker ultimately reported back to Real Madrid’s training ground on Monday (August 3).
The forward completed standard pre-season medical examinations yesterday before participating in two training sessions under the watchful eye of Real’s newly appointed head coach, Jose Mourinho.
In the meantime, his agent team is undoubtedly busy behind the scenes, given that the attacker has entered the final 12 months of his deal at Real Madrid.
On Monday, ESPN revealed that Los Blancos submitted an upgraded contract proposal to the player, despite discussions coming to a standstill last term.
The club has reportedly presented a package worth £19.1 million annually—roughly £367,000 weekly—which falls short of the £26 million yearly wage Vini Jr is said to be demanding.
Should Vini exhaust his contract, he would depart Real without a fee next summer—a worst-case scenario for the La Liga powerhouses, who hope to recoup a transfer fee around £145 million for the Brazil star, though Arsenal are hesitant to meet that figure and evaluate the 26-year-old nearer to £128.5 million, per Spanish publication Sport.
The news outlet stated: “The London club is prepared to take a gamble by offering him the highest salary ever seen in the Premier League.
“Figures that would be very close to what Mbappe is currently earning at Real Madrid.
“But for the deal to be feasible, Real Madrid would have to lower their financial demands.
“Florentino Perez wants €170 million, despite Vinicius only having one year left on his contract, while Arsenal want a figure lower than €150 million to make the numbers work.
“There’s room for negotiation here too, and Arsenal is very serious about this.”
Vini Jr discloses Jose Mourinho request
Speaking publicly for the first time since rumors connecting him with Arsenal surfaced, Vini Jr addressed his status through Real Madrid’s official media, clarifying that Mourinho desires him to remain “happy” with the team, while noting that discussions with the Portuguese manager and his new colleagues have “gone very well”.
“Mourinho wants me to be as I’ve always been: happy, cheerful, and that I play my football,” the Brazilian said.
“We have to prepare physically so that during the season we have fewer injuries and we can count on everybody.
“[Monday] was a double session, [Tuesday] is one session. So let’s go. Today we did a bit of work in the gym and a short session to load our legs some more.
“It was a good training session and we all left very tired, but now it’s time to rest for tomorrow. Pre-season is like this. We have to be prepared.”
Arsenal have already added Illan Meslier, Christos Tzolis, and Piero Hincapié to their ranks during the current transfer window.
Mikel Arteta’s squad will next face Real Betis in Dublin on August 5, followed by clashes with Borussia Dortmund and Como at the Emirates Stadium on August 9 and 12.
The Gunners are then set to meet Manchester City in the Community Shield on August 16 prior to kicking off their Premier League season at home against newly promoted Coventry on August 21.
