RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Vinicius Junior's Real Madrid future has been the subject of recent speculation, with Arsenal exploring a deal for the forward, but what could happen next? <h3>What is the latest on this situation?</h3><p>Brazil star Vinicius Jr, 26, is entering the final year of his contract at Real Madrid.</p><p>Negotiations over an extension have dragged on without a breakthrough, and it has caused increasing speculation over his future at the club.</p><widget id="9"></widget><p>That intensified last week when it emerged that <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/13566893/vinicius-jr-transfer-news-arsenal-exploring-deal-for-real-madrid-and-brazil-forward">Arsenal are interested in signing him</a> this summer if he cannot agree a new deal at Real.</p><p>Meanwhile, Real Madrid have made a <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13567238/yan-diomande-transfer-news-psg-pull-out-of-race-for-rb-leipzig-forward-real-madrid-confident-of-signing-ivorian">significant move for another winger</a> - the exciting Ivory Coast international Yan Diomande at RB Leipzig.</p><ul><li><a href="https://qrcode.skysports.com/TransfersSkySportsApp" target="_blank"><strong>Transfer Centre LIVE!</strong></a></li><li><strong>Not got Sky? <a href="https://www.sky.com/tv/sports?dcmp=Ilc_skysports_nc_articlelink" target="_blank">Get Sky Sports</a> or <a href="http://www.nowtv.com/membership/watch-sky-sports?DCMP=ilc_skysports_nc_articlelink" target="_blank">stream with no contract on NOW</a></strong><strong>📺</strong></li><li><a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12110/10952996/sky-sports-push-notifications-faq-how-to-receive-the-alerts-you-want" target="_blank"><strong>Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want!</strong></a> 🔔</li></ul><p>It means doubts around Vinicius' future at the Bernabeu have grown over the past few days.</p><h3>How serious is Arsenal's interest and can they afford him?</h3><p>Arsenal's interest is real but in the early stages and conditional on a number of factors, not least the cost - which would be significant should the door open for Vinicius to leave Real.</p><p>There have been no club-to-club talks, and there is no guarantee it progresses to a formal bid.</p> <widget id="10"></widget><p>Arsenal, as newly-crowned Premier League champions, are looking to add another top-class forward despite signing <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/13564283/arsenal-transfer-news-christos-tzolis-signs-in-lb34m-deal-from-club-brugge-as-replacement-for-leandro-trossard">Christos Tzolis</a>. He was brought in to replace Leandro Trossard and there is doubt around the future of Gabriel Martinelli.</p><p>Last year they were keen on Vinicius's Real Madrid team-mate Rodrygo, while this summer <em>Sky Sports News</em> has reported their interest in Julian Alvarez and Morgan Rogers, who has since joined Chelsea from Aston Villa.</p><p>With one year left on his contract, the financial side of purchasing Vinicius would not be as severe as it previously has been - but it is worth remembering the sheer scale of an offer for the player two years ago from the Saudi Pro League.</p> <widget id="3"></widget><p>They were ready to pay him €1bn over five years and a transfer fee to Real Madrid of more than £300m (around €350m), which would have made him the most expensive transfer in history.</p><p>It would not cost anywhere near that much this time, but it gives a sense of what both Real and Vinicius were willing to forego in 2024.</p><p>Although the real figure is confidential, Vinicius is believed to earn around €15m to €17m net per year. That's around £247,000 to £279,000 per week after tax. To earn that amount in the UK, Arsenal would need to pay him somewhere between £450,000 and £500,000 per week.</p><p>That would make him far and away Arsenal's highest paid player. Bukayo Saka is widely believed to be the current highest paid on more than £300,000 per week.</p><p>A report in the Telegraph this morning claims Arsenal would be willing to go to £400,000. But that would still not equal Vinicius' current salary. Widespread reports in Spain claim part of the current impasse with Real is over his increased salary demands.</p><h3>So is it just a dispute over a new contract?</h3> <widget id="5"></widget><p>The situation has some of the classic hallmarks of a new contract dispute; reports of an impasse over salary demands, emerging Arsenal interest, further talks to come.</p><p>But there is no strong public evidence yet that Vinicius wants to leave Real Madrid for any reason, sporting or otherwise; no quotes, no interviews, no suggestive social media posts.</p><p>Real Madrid and - most importantly - new manager Jose Mourinho want him to stay and agree new terms.<em> Sky Sports News r</em>eported on Monday morning that there will be further talks this week between Real and Vinicius' representatives, with Arsenal monitoring things closely.</p> <widget id="7"></widget><p>Club president Florentino Perez is personally involved and has publicly expressed a desire for Vinicius to stay long term. Reports in Spain have long claimed that both parties have indicated a preference for him to remain at the club. Real Madrid do not want him to run down the deal into a free agent situation either.</p><p>Vinicius is more than just an outstanding left winger. He is a global superstar - and a Galactico in every sense. In that way he embodies everything about Real Madrid and fits right in.</p><p>Can the same be said about Arsenal? Signing such an icon has not been part of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal project so far, however exciting it might be to go in that direction.</p><h3>Does Real Madrid's pursuit of Yan Diomande affect things?</h3> <widget id="8"></widget><p><em>Sky Sports News </em>has been told Real's proposed deal for Diomande has no real bearing on the Vinicius situation. It says nothing about their desire to keep Vinicius or not, and only suggests they see a front-three with both of th...
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