Vinicius Junior’s decision to extend his Real Madrid contract was communicated to Arsenal last Wednesday by the player and his representatives, according to The Athletic.
While there was never a formal agreement in place between Arsenal and Vinicius, personal terms between both parties would not have been an issue.
The 26-year-old was persuaded that the Premier League champions were serious about signing him due to the figures discussed during the meetings
The Gunners were willing to make a huge effort and break their salary structure to secure his services.
Arsenal were prepared to offer Vinicius the biggest contract in the history of the club.
While they believed that their offer would make it difficult for Madrid to compete financially, things changed.
Los Blancos offered him an improved offer, which was enough to convince the Brazilian to commit his future to the 15-time Champions League winners.
The La Liga club announced last Thursday that Vinicius had finally signed a contract renewal following several attempts.
The player and his representatives expressed their gratitude to Arsenal for the treatment they had received during talks.
They explained they were only turning the Gunners down because of Vinicius’ affection for Madrid and their significant financial effort to retain him.
Arsenal have moved on to other targets, but the fact that they came close to signing one of the best players on the planet speaks volumes.
They will look to make similar moves in subsequent transfer windows, and establishing themselves as regular contenders for the Champions League remains the big goal.
