Did Arsenal dodge a bullet by not signing Vini Jr?

12 Sept 2026 11:30 BST | 5 min read

FT Desk

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Former Arsenal favourite Emmanuel Petit believes the club may have dodged a bullet by failing to sign Vinicius Junior this summer.

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The Brazilian had threatened to leave Real Madrid at the expiration of his contract in 2027 and Los Blancos were open to selling him in 2026 in order to receive a significant transfer fee. Previous talks of a blockbuster transfer to Saudi Arabia fell through and Arsenal emerged as the only possible destination, should he move.

Mikel Arteta apparently campaigned for Arsenal to sign Vini Jr but, in the end, he signed a lucrative new contract with Real Madrid until 2032.

The Gunners were keen to recruit a marquee forward player this summer, with Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez also targeted, but only signed Christos Tzolis in the attacking department.

The club are looking to defend their Premier League crown after winning the title for the first time in two decades and Petit believes Vini Jr may have impacted the harmony within the squad.

بدت المشاكل 😋 pic.twitter.com/bKpd41kl4m
— Bandr (@itsband3r) September 4, 2026

"I think Vinicius Junior is a really talented player but in terms of his mentality I am not sure he is a good fit for Arsenal. That’s just my opinion," the World Cup winner told Boyle Sports.

"I see so many humble players at Arsenal so if you all of a sudden bring in someone who is completely different, it can be a problem, especially with Arteta’s style of management."

Vini was one of Madrid's better performers in the 1-0 loss against Real Betis last Friday, in which Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty, but his actions afterwards won't go down well with new manager Jose Mourinho.

In one video circulating on social media, Mourinho approaches Vini to speak and although the pair exchange a short handshake, the player walks away briskly before his manager can talk. Some have called it a snub.

"Look at what happened between Vinicius Jnr and Jose Mourinho in the last game between Real Betis and Real Madrid," Petit continued.

"It reminded me of what happened with Xabi Alonso last season when he didn’t want to shake his hand.

"Vinicius Jr. receives so much stick from the fans, the press and social media but in those moments he is sending the wrong message. I think he is probably a bullet dodged for Arsenal looking at that moment.

"I would have loved to see a player with the talent of Vinicius Jr play for Arsenal but with his mentality and his ego I think it would have made for a really difficult situation to cope with."

© IMAGO - Jose Mourinho and Vinicius Junior

Under Alonso last year, Vinicius felt he was being taken off too often and struggled to understand Alonso’s tactical and man management approach. The situation boiled over during a Clasico when Alonso substituted him while Madrid were leading 2–1. Vini was visibly furious and was heard saying he was going to leave the club.

In Mourinho's first competitive match since returning to Madrid, Los Blancos defeated Espanyol 2-1 but Vini was booked after an altercation with defender Cala in the first half. Afterwards, the Portuguese said his player needs to have "great emotional control" as he is often the target of bullies in the opposition team, who look to catalyse a reaction from him.

Petit does wish that Arsenal managed to sign Alvarez, however.

"Julian Alvarez is the striker Arsenal need. Why? Because he knows the Premier League," he explained.

"He’s such a talented player. He has great movement, great technical skills, and he would perfectly fit the DNA of this Arsenal team in how he plays one touch football. I really like everything about him as a player.

"But obviously he wants Barcelona, and if he didn’t leave Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window, do you really think he’s going to leave that club during the winter transfer window? I wouldn’t be so sure about that."

Arsenal have started the new Premier League campaign with three wins out of three.