Arsenal's plan to sign Vinícius in January
The Gunner team wants to close 3 important sales to finance the signing of the Brazilian.
The Arsenal will make another attempt for Vinícius Jr. in the upcoming winter transfer market, considering that the Brazilian has lost his starting position at Real Madrid under José Mourinho. The Gunners intend to make a €150 million offer for the Brazilian in January.
The British club needs to offload Mikel Merino, Martín Zubimendi, and Viktor Gyökeres to raise €160 million in capital gains and fund the arrival of the South American forward, who has lost his status as an indisputable starter at the Santiago Bernabéu due to the emergence of Yan Diomande.
The €160 million target: Merino, Zubimendi, and Gyökeres on the market
The 'Gunner' technical department has valued the three transferable players to balance the finances before negotiating with the Madrid entity:
-Mikel Merino: The 30-year-old Spanish international midfielder is valued at €30 million. Atlético de Madrid is positioned as the main contender to bring him back to LaLiga in the winter market.
-Martín Zubimendi: The 27-year-old pivot seeks a change of scenery after losing prominence in the starting lineups. With active interest from Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea, Arsenal hopes to receive €70 million for his permanent transfer.
-Viktor Gyökeres: The 28-year-old Swedish forward has seen his minutes reduced due to Arteta's preference for aligning Kai Havertz as the offensive reference. The London board aims to earn €60 million from his sale.
The sum of these three disposals would ensure a liquidity fund of €160 million, a sufficient margin to cover the investment and assume the salary of the Brazilian.
Vinícius Júnior as a key piece for the Champions League
Coach Mikel Arteta believes that signing Vinícius Júnior would provide the decisive individual imbalance to defend the Premier League title and win the first UEFA Champions League in the club's history. The loss of prominence of the number '7' in the Spanish capital, caused by the impactful performance of Ivorian forward Yan Diomande in the white scheme, has opened a market opportunity that is intended to be seized immediately in London.
The Arsenal leadership will intensify the efforts to sell their three players during the first weeks of December 2026 to secure the required capital. If the English club completes the sales of Merino, Zubimendi, and Gyökeres, they will formally present Real Madrid with the proposal of €150 million for Vinícius Júnior at the beginning of 2027.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El plan del Arsenal para fichar a Vinícius en enero