Arsenal ready to offer Vinicius Jr record contract to lure from Real Madrid

Arsenal ready to offer Vinicius Jr record contract to lure from Real Madrid

Arsenal are preparing a massive financial package to entice Vinicius Junior away from Real Madrid, according to reports. The Gunners are reportedly willing to make the Brazil international the highest-paid player in the club's history to secure a move to the Emirates Stadium.

The interest comes as the 26-year-old enters the final 12 months of his contract with the Spanish giants. While Real Madrid are believed to want to extend his stay, negotiations have faced setbacks. Reports indicate that talks over a renewal came to an abrupt halt after the Club World Cup last summer.

According to The Telegraph, cited by Mundo Deportivo and Mirror, Arsenal are prepared to significantly increase the winger's current earnings. Vinicius is currently earning £400,000 per week—or €468,000 weekly, according to sports.yahoo.com—and the London side considers these figures to be no barrier in their attempt to land the star.

The pursuit is driven by head coach Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta, who both view the forward as the missing piece required to lead the team to Champions League glory. Vinicius played a critical role in securing Real Madrid's last two UCL titles and has recorded 128 goals and 100 assists in 378 matches.

Finances are not expected to be an issue for Arsenal, backed as they are by rich owners. The club is prepared to acquire the player either through a standard transfer fee paid to Real Madrid or by providing a bonus of approximately €80 million if the player terminates his contract with Los Blancos.

However, the Brazilian's future remains contested. AS reports that Vinicius' priority is to renew his contract at the Bernabeu. He is reportedly seeking an annual salary of £17 million, which is roughly £4 million more than his current deal. Furthermore, journalist Ramon Alvarez de Mon claimed on YouTube that Liverpool were the only club to respond positively when contacted by the forward's representatives.

The situation is further complicated by Real Madrid's other transfer activities. The club is currently engaged in an operation to sign RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande. While some reports, including those from TEAMtalk, suggest a deal in principle has been reached for a fee around £100 million, Sky Germany disputes the claim that the move is a "done deal," noting that no transfer fee has been officially agreed upon between the clubs.

Real Madrid intends to make a final decision on the star forward's future following a decisive round of talks. These negotiations are set to resume in the coming days when Vinicius returns from his holidays.

Arsenal's aggressive approach to the winger follows a period of wage restructuring under Mikel Arteta. While the coach previously dealt with the high salaries of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, the club has since provided Bukayo Saka with £365,000 per week to ensure he remains at the club.

Outside of the Vinicius pursuit, Arsenal are also monitoring other wide options. The club is credited with an interest in Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola, though they have yet to make a formal move for the 23-year-old. TeamTalk reports that Arsenal may target Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott if they are unable to sign Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes this summer.