Jamie Carragher has talked down Arsenal’s chances of signing Vinicius Junior and suspects the forward is simply using the Gunners to get a bumper new contract at Real Madrid.
Vinicius has entered into the final 12 months of his current deal at Madrid, with discussions over a possible renewal having collapsed in the wake of last year’s Club World Cup.
Arsenal have been alerted to the situation this summer and Mikel Arteta is said to be ‘absolutely smitten’ with the idea of bringing the superstar 26-year-old attacker to north London.
A proposed bid was understood to have been approved ‘at all levels’ at the Emirates, with the newly crowned English champions willing to make Vinicius the highest-paid player in Premier League history.
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However, reports emanating out of Madrid indicate that Vinicius has ‘prioritised’ resolving his future in the Spanish capital, while Jose Mourinho has made it clear he would be vehemently opposed to the prospect of losing the Brazilian.
In a further blow to Arsenal’s seemingly dwindling hopes of securing a deal for Vinicius, the 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up lifted the lid on some positive conversations he had held with Mourinho earlier today.
‘It has gone very well, getting to know the new coach and the new players, and training very hard,’ Vinicius told Real Madrid TV.
‘Mourinho wants me to be as I have always been: happy, cheerful and playing my football.’
Asked how the first few days of pre-season had been for Madrid as a group, Vinicius replied: ‘I think the goal is to get us match fit so we have fewer injuries during the season.
‘That way we can rely on everyone throughout the campaign.’
Featuring as a guest on the Football Ramble podcast, former Liverpool defender Carragher opened up on the reservations he still had about Arsenal’s attacking options despite their Premier League title triumph last season.
Asked whether a successful deal for Vinicius would be enough to change his mind, he replied: ‘Yeah, in terms of being that superstar.
‘I think the Vinicius Junior thing is really interesting in that I do think you need something like that to win the Champions League.
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‘Obviously you’ve proven you can win the league but I just can’t see Arsenal winning it [the Champions League] because those players… think of the teams that win the Champions League, think of the guy up front or the winger, it’s top-five players in the world.
‘But is Arteta almost giving up something that he loves in terms of these wingers just permanently running back and helping the full-back, being in this block on the edge of of their box… saying, “I’ve actually got to roll the dice here… OK, I’ve got to lose a bit of that to gain a bit of that”, and then there’s still no guarantee.’
But while Carragher would ‘love’ to see a player of Vinicius’ quality and stature in the Premier League, he thinks Arsenal’s chances of signing the Brazil international are ultimately slim.
‘I’d love to see it. I think we lack top players in the Premier League right now, I do,’ the ex-England international continued.
‘What really hit home was at the World Cup, at the semi-final stage, so it was France, Spain, England and Argentina, the four best teams in the world, but I don’t think there was an attacker who played in the Premier League.
‘That’s besides, I think, Morgan Rogers who only got in that game [because of fitness concerns in the squad]. When England are playing their best team, Rogers is probably not in it.
‘So you’re looking at it and thinking: Anthony Gordon has left, Jude Bellingham is in Spain, Harry Kane is in Germany. Out of all the attacking players no one is in the Premier League.
‘For us to get somebody I think would be amazing. I just can’t see it happening.
‘He’s surely doing it to get a new contract at Real Madrid.’
On top of missing out on Vinicius, Carragher believes Arsenal will come up short in their attempts to defend the Premier League title they won last term – assuming Manchester City keep hold of Rodri.
When pressed for his pick to lift the trophy this season, Carragher replied: ‘I think City.
‘The reason I think City is that I think they were still close last year. I know Pep’s gone, I get that.
‘When you’ve had the same manager for ten years, the flip side of what people will say is that it’s hard to come after him.
‘Just something a little bit new, a little bit fresh. I think if Rodri left for Real Madrid then I wouldn’t be saying that but in terms of where they are right now…
‘If you’re City, what’s the point in selling Rodri? What’s the point? Just get another year out of him and let him go for free. He’s the best in his position. What’s £40m for City?’
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