Arsenal signing issues official response to Vinicius Jr interest

4 Aug 2026 11:08 BST | 4 min read

Vinicius Junior, Vinicius Jr, Arsenal — © IMAGO

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Arsenal winger Christos Tzolis insists that he isn’t bothered by rumours suggesting that Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior could join the club before the end of the summer transfer window on 1 September.

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The Greece international completed a €40 million move from Club Brugge in July, after registering 51 goal contributions in 52 games last season, and he has effectively replaced Leandro Trossard in the Arsenal squad, following the Belgian’s transfer to Besiktas.

Current ETV

Christos Tzolis

F, M, AM (L)

Arsenal

Christos Tzolis

F, M, AM (L)

Arsenal

ETV Range

€26.5M - €32.4M

Tzolis has caught the eye during the early weeks of pre-season, scoring in Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Girona on Saturday, but the Gunners’ interest in Vinicius could see him demoted down the pecking order next season.

“Obviously I'm confident as a player, so I don't think about the future and what the club will do in this position,” Tzolis told Sky Sports when asked about Arsenal’s pursuit of Vinicius Jr and the possibility of a new left winger arriving at the club.

“I'm thinking [about] how to improve and settle as fast as possible in the club because I have the opportunity to train directly with the team from the beginning of the season, to play the friendly games and then to go to official games.

“So it's a chance to play directly from the beginning - and then it's up to me to show the qualities and what I can bring in the team. I'm pretty confident that I will show it in the next games.”

© IMAGO - Arsenal want to sign Vinicius Jr

Analysis: Will Vinicius Jr join Arsenal?

Arsenal are actively monitoring Vinicius Jr’s situation at Real Madrid and it’s understood that he has three options: sign a new contract, leave on a free transfer in 2027 or join Arsenal this summer.

Jose Mourinho is reportedly eager to tie the Brazil superstar down to fresh terms, however Real Madrid are currently unwilling to match Vini Jr’s salary demands and talks are therefore at an impasse as things stand.

It’s understood that negotiations are set to intensify this week, following Vinicius’ return to the club after his participation at the World Cup, and Arsenal are waiting in the wings to pounce if an agreement fails to be reached.

FootballTransfers understands that Arteta’s side are willing to do whatever it takes financially to sign the 26-year-old this summer, with the club hoping to finalise a deal as they look to defend their Premier League crown and win the Champions League for the first time in their history.