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Real Madrid win the Vinicius Junior battle as Arsenal's ambitious transfer hopes unravel: Report
Vinicius is expected to continue his career at the Santiago Bernabéu after holding positive talks with Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Arsenal's much-speculated move to add Brazilian flair to their Premier League squad appears set to collapse, with Vinicius Junior on the verge of signing a new contract with Real Madrid. Speculation over the winger's future reached fever pitch on Wednesday after he deleted all posts from his social media accounts, but his strong relationship with Jose Mourinho has seemingly tipped the scales in Real Madrid's favour.
According to a report by Sky Sports News, Vinicius is expected to continue his career at the Santiago Bernabéu after holding positive talks with Real Madrid on Wednesday. The report stated that the Spanish giants improved their contract offer during meetings at the club's training ground, with the revised deal set to earn the Brazilian around £18.5 million per year.
Arsenal had pushed hard to bring Vinicius to the Premier League after questions over his future first emerged in January last year, with his existing contract due to expire next June. The north London club were reportedly willing to match the player's initial wage demands before Real Madrid returned with an improved offer that now looks set to secure his long-term future.
Veteran transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano also confirmed that Vinicius is now close to signing a new deal, with Real Madrid keen to avoid another prolonged transfer saga.
Romano wrote: "My understanding is that after a face-to-face meeting today in Madrid between Vinicius, his agents from Roc Nation and the Real Madrid board, the agreement for Vinicius to stay at Real Madrid and sign a new contract is getting really close. Vinicius is increasingly closer to staying at Real Madrid and signing a new contract."
Despite those developments, Vinicius sparked widespread speculation earlier on Wednesday after wiping his entire Instagram feed, leaving his account, followed by more than 64 million users, without a single post. The move fuelled rumours that he was unhappy at Real Madrid and edging closer to a sensational switch to Arsenal.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had recently outlined his plans to strengthen the squad before the transfer window closes, insisting the club would remain aggressive in the market.
"We expect to have movements in the next few weeks, obviously. We want to get better like anybody else, and you can see the transfer market and our opponents," Arteta said.
"We won't sit still and we are very ambitious with what we are doing. The margins are very small because we want to get better and the level is going to increase."
