Soccer
Why Arsenal's 'interest' in Vinicius is all part of the summer transfer dance
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As the World Cup becomes a distant memory and the new season comes sharply into focus, the transfer rumour mill is in full flow.
Many of the stars of the summer are unsurprisingly being linked with big-money moves, but it's a possible move involving one of the game's biggest names that is suddenly the headline act of the window.
Reports over the weekend have suggested that Premier League champions Arsenal have a keen interest in exploring a deal for Real Madrid megastar Vinicius Jr.
It's a line straight out of the fantasy transfer game, but are the Gunners really about to make it a reality?
Why Arsenal want Vinicius Jr DAZN/FIFA
It might be silly to ask why the North Londoners would want to sign the Brazilian forward; after all, it would be a no-brainer to add one of the world's elite names to their Premier League-winning squad.
A signing of Vinicius' magnitude would be such a signal of intent, and would send shockwaves through English football, and prove that Mikel Arteta's men's title win is just the start of something.
It's also an area where they do need an upgrade. Offering off the left of their attack, Gabriel Martinelli struggles for consistency over a season, while Leandro Trossard has already left the club.
Ebere Eze can play that role but is more comfortable centrally, so it's a position Vini Jr could just slot straight into and form a devastating front three with Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres.
At 26, too, the forward is about to enter his peak years and, as shown by his performances at the World Cup this summer, would give something in attack that Arsenal don't really have: a proper bona fide game-changing superstar who could ignite the league.
They would have to break the bank to get him, and any deal would eclipse the club record fee they paid for Declan Rice, but his impact could be just what they need to cement their place as the Premier League's premier force.
@fifaworldcup_es
Why the deal won't happen
Having hyped up the possibility, Arsenal hearts are set to be broken because it's a deal that's unlikely to happen.
Not only would the Gunners have to smash their transfer record to get him, but they would have to make Vinicius the best-paid player in their history, at quite the cost.
Bukayo Saka is currently the club's highest earner, with his salary around £150,000 a week, but they would have to pay almost four times that amount to match the near £500,000 a week the tricky Brazilian reportedly earns in Madrid.
For a club who have been quite open about how strict they are with wages, it feels like a massive change in ethos.
But before that's even an issue, the current link with player and club feels much more like a classic transfer season ploy from Vinicius and his team.
Because the key element in all of this is that the Real Madrid star is out of contract next summer and fresh talks were expected once he was back from his post-World Cup holiday.
@SLBenfica
Arsenal's interest may well be real, but the way it has blown up feels like agents angling to get their client a better deal from the Spanish club.
With Jose Mourinho's second term ready to begin, Vinicius was expected to be a key figure in their bid to wrestle control off of Barcelona, and he remains one of the club's biggest stars.
The possible signing of Yan Diomande is nothing more than part of the game. Yes, the Ivorian could play in any spot vacated by Vini Jr, but that transfer is said to have been on the cards regardless of the future of Madrid's number seven.
Diomande has huge potential, but is in no way ready to take the mantle off Vinicius and the club very much want him to stay at the Bernabeu.
Right now it would take a real breakdown between the Spanish giants and their Brazilian star to see the outcome be anything other than him signing a new deal.
So, Arsenal fans can hope, but this fantasy signing will probably remain the stuff of dreams rather than a statement reality.
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