Arsenal’s pursuit of Vinicius Junior is at an end, with Real Madrid announcing a new long-term contract for the winger.
Real Madrid announced on Thursday that Vinicius Junior has extended his contract to 2032, following years of contract negotiations and speculation around the winger’s future.
Vinicius was into the last 12 months of his contract in Madrid, which had prompted Arsenal to make a push to try and lure him away.
Real would have been keen to sell if Vinicius had refused to extend his deal, to avoid losing the player for free next summer. For a while, that looked like the direction of travel, with the two parties far apart financially and Real refusing to up their offer.
But with Arsenal making a serious move for the player, Real buckled under the pressure and went back on their decision not to raise their bid to Vinicius, offering him improved terms and conceding to many of his demands.
Given Vinicius’ primary goal was always to stay in Madrid, and he just wanted those improved contract terms, there was no longer much standing between him and a renewal.
David Ornstein reports for The Athletic that Vinicius was open to an Arsenal move if he couldn’t renew with Real Madrid, but since he could, that didn’t happen.
Arsenal will now have to pivot to other targets, and there’s almost no chance Vinicius will be available again for a reasonable fee until he’s well into his thirties.
Realistically, he’ll spend the rest of his prime years with his current club, ending any hopes of ever seeing him in an Arsenal shirt.
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