Arsenal are exploring an ambitious move for Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior during the summer transfer window. The Brazilian has entered the final year of his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Gunners believe his contract situation could create a rare opportunity to complete a blockbuster transfer.
Manager Mikel Arteta is also keen on adding Vinicius to his left-wing options ahead of the new season.
Arsenal have reportedly approved the pursuit at every level following their recent Premier League triumph.
Moreover, the club are prepared to break their wage structure to convince the Brazilian to move to North London.
Also, Arsenal could offer Vinicius a contract worth more than £400,000 per week. Such an agreement would make him the highest-paid player in the club’s history.
However, Arsenal still face several major obstacles before they can complete the transfer. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and manager Jose Mourinho want Vinicius to sign a new contract.
The Brazilian also prefers to remain in Madrid if both sides can reach an agreement. Therefore, Arsenal’s chances will depend heavily on those contract negotiations completely breaking down.
Meanwhile, Arsenal may need to create space on the left side of their attack before making a move.
According to TeleRadioStereo, intermediaries have offered Gabriel Martinelli to Roma as Arsenal consider his departure while pursuing Vinicius Junior.
Martinelli played around 1,000 Premier League minutes during the 2025/26 campaign and scored once.
However, he also scored six times in the Champions League and impressed for Brazil at the World Cup.
The 25-year-old scored a stoppage-time winner against Japan in the Round of 32. Nevertheless, his importance at Arsenal reduced last season before Christos Tzolis joined the club.
Martinelli’s salary could still become a problem because he earns €7M per season. Roma have introduced a wage limit of around €4.5 million per year.
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