Ex-Premier League manager claims Vinicius Junior to Arsenal is ‘done deal’

Alan Pardew has sensationally labelled Arsenal’s proposed move for Vinicius Junior a ‘done deal’.

Vinicius, 26, has entered into the final 12 months of his contract at Real Madrid, with talks over a possible renewal falling through in the wake of last year’s Club World Cup.

Widespread reports at the weekend indicated Arsenal had been alerted to the situation and exploratory talks had taken place over a potential big-money bid – an idea which has been ‘approved on all levels’ within the club’s hierarchy.

New Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has made it clear that he would be vehemently opposed to Vinicius’ departure, while the player himself is said to have ‘prioritised’ reaching a resolution over his Bernabeu future.

However, the Gunners have not been put off by these apparent setbacks and are reportedly plotting a club-record bid for Vinicius, intent on prising the Brazilian away from the Spanish capital.

It’s claimed the newly crowned Premier League champions would be prepared to offer Vinicius wages in excess of the £350,000-a-week package they agreed with Bukayo Saka midway through last season.

‘What a signing that would be. I think this is a deal that will happen,’ ex-Newcastle, Crystal Palace and West Ham manager Pardew said on talkSPORT in response to the rumours.

‘The reason I think that is he’s got history with Jose Mourinho, he’s at Real Madrid, he’s got a year left on his contract. They’ve been trying to get him to sign a new deal for a long time now.

‘When you think about the other side of the coin, the new champions of the Premier League… you’re in London, you’re not in Newcastle, you’re not in Manchester, you’re in London.

‘You’re playing for the champions Arsenal, they’ll put you in a house in Regent’s Park, you can fly in and fly out your family at will because you’ll have enough finance to do it. I think it’s a tempting proposition.’

According to Pardew, the left wing remains Arsenal’s ‘weak link’ and Vinicius could represent the missing piece of the puzzle to take Mikel Arteta’s side to another level.

‘The other thing you’ve got to remember is that the weak link of Arsenal’s team is wide left where there’s Gabriel Martinelli and Eberechi Eze hasn’t really filled that, it’s not really his role anyway,’ he added.

‘I said at the back-end of last year that if there’s one thing I’d do as an Arsenal manager now, it’s go massive on one individual like a real, real top talent like Vinicius Junior.

‘Everything else is there, isn’t it? The stability of the team, the goalkeeper, the midfield, it’s all there. All they need to do is have that one player when it’s 0-0 at 87 minutes at the Emirates, he jinks past two and curls it in the top corner.

‘Bukayo Saka was maybe that a couple of years ago, more so than last year, but they need somebody who can do it from the left. He’s your man.’

Pardew continued: ‘That’s a done deal in my book, I think that’s going to happen, more so than Bruno Guimaraes.

‘I think it’s their number one target and probably has been for a while.’

Pardew believes the social media following that Vinicius that would gain by joining Arsenal could be another factor pulling the attacker to the Emirates.

‘You have to understand that in the modern world, Vinicius Junior, if he wanted to really grow his social media platform… and let’s be honest, people are getting 30 million, 25 million, I don’t know how many hits he’s getting at the moment on his social media,’ he went on.

‘But to go to Arsenal I’m guessing would grow it again.

‘He’s obviously going to have the Real Madrid fans, he’s done that, so he’s already got them following him.

‘This will be a whole branch out for him so you can’t underestimate the financial impact of that actually.’

Pardew has no doubts that Vinicius would immediately be deemed the ‘biggest star’ in the English top flight were he to join the Gunners.

He explained: ‘He would be the biggest player in the Premier League. He’d be the biggest star in the Premier League if he comes because we are actually missing a few star players.

‘When you looked at the World Cup, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, they’re not here, Lionel Messi isn’t here. He would be the biggest player in the Premier League.

‘We’re talking about a massive, massive uplift for him as well, firstly, to be the biggest player in the Premier League, in the biggest league in the world would gain him massively on the social media front, too.’

Arsenal have also been pursuing a deal for Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes for some time and are reportedly preparing an improved £70m offer to land the Brazil international.

Pardew – who managed Newcastle from 2010 to 2014 – is not surprised to see Guimaraes linked with a club of Arsenal’s stature and believes the midfielder would be a ‘massive loss’ for the Magpies were he to leave.

‘Firstly, he’s a great player and there’s no doubt about that,’ Pardew said of Guimaraes.

‘I always suggest that if you were talking to a Newcastle fan that he’s probably their favourite player in terms of the character, rolling up your sleeves, digging them out of holes, getting great goals, fantastic technique. All those attributes that Newcastle fans love about a particular player.

‘So it would be a massive loss to them.

‘I think his love has gone, I can’t see him staying there and being the same player so I think it’s going to be a question of: as much money as possible. I think that’s where the Newcastle board will sit.’

While Arsenal chase various transfer targets this summer, there are some concerns surrounding the fitness of one of their current stars, Declan Rice, who endured a difficult World Cup.

The England midfielder has been suffering with a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back and there are some suggestions he may be forced to miss the start of the club season.

‘He might need more than a month I think,’ Pardew said of Rice’s fitness woes.

‘That first half of the season, you might not see the best of him and he’s going to need a big recovery.

‘Everybody told me that he was really poorly and when you’re flat, when you’re down, when your recovery levels aren’t kicking in then you get colds, you get strains, it all starts coming.

‘Interesting for Arsenal will be Max Dowman’s role next year. What is he going to be? Will it be 20 appearances? If I was the manager I’d be giving him a goal of like 30 appearances. But he’s 17, he’s still such a baby.’

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