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News
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Forget Vini Jr! Arsenal told to sign €100m forward
6 Aug 2026 15:07 BST |
4 min read
News
Kevin Nolan has told Arsenal to pursue a deal for Athletic Club winger Nico Williams amid reports that Vinicius Junior is expected to sign a new contract at Real Madrid.
The Brazil superstar has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in recent weeks and FootballTransfers understands that Mikel Arteta’s side are prepared to go all-out to secure his signature before the summer window closes on 1 September.
Current ETV
Vinícius Júnior
F (CL), M (L)
Real Madrid
Vinícius Júnior
F (CL), M (L)
Real Madrid
ETV Range
€86.6M - €105.9M
However, Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is desperate to keep Vinicius at the Bernabeu and reports indicate that he is edging closer to signing fresh terms with Los Blancos, despite Arsenal’s desire to bring him to north London.
This has been confirmed by football transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano, who has revealed that Real Madrid are discussing the final details of the agreement with Vinicius’ camp ahead of a formal announcement.
Arsenal are willing to make the 26-year-old their most expensive signing in history, but a transfer now looks increasingly unlikely and they will be forced to pursue an alternative target if Arteta wants to bolster his forward options ahead of Deadline Day.
It has been suggested that Arsenal may end their interest in a new left winger if Vinicius is unattainable, having already signed Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge so far this summer, but former West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers cult hero Nolan has urged the Gunners to consider a move for Nico Williams or Bradley Barcola.
Arsenal told to sign Nico Williams
“He's obviously a complex character. His off-the-field stuff probably doesn't suit what Arteta looks at. And I think they do go into all that great detail as well,” Nolan told talkSPORT when asked about Arsenal’s interest in Vini Jr.
“What's the character of the person? What's his attitude like? What's his personality like?
“I think someone like a Nico Williams would be perfect for an Arsenal. In that left-hand side role, or Barcola, if you like. They're the ones who I thought would suit more of an Arsenal-type player than Vinicius Jr.”
Williams, whose contract at Athletic Club reportedly includes a €100 million release clause, has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal since his form at Euro 2024, but he is expected to remain with Edin Terzic’s side for the foreseeable future, having signed a 10-year deal last summer.
The Spain international scored six goals in 25 La Liga games last season, however his campaign was hampered by an ongoing pubalgia issue, which also limited his involvement at the 2026 World Cup.
