Vinicius Junior has signed a brand new six-year contract at Actual Madrid, ending hypothesis linking the Brazil ahead with a transfer to Arsenal.
In an announcement confirming the deal on Thursday, the La Liga membership known as the 26-year-old “one of the crucial essential gamers in one of the crucial profitable intervals in our historical past”.
The 2-time Champions League winner’s future had been beneath scrutiny as a result of his earlier contract expired in 2027.
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Vinicius Junior switch information: What the ahead mentioned
Vinicius Junior mentioned on Tuesday that Mourinho had advised him his expectations throughout gruelling coaching periods after the ahead’s return from the World Cup with Brazil.
Mourinho met Vinicius Junior for the primary time since his reappointment in Could for a second tenure on the membership.
“Very properly,” the 26-year-old replied when Madrid’s official channel requested how he felt, sitting on a ball and smiling.
“[I’m] attending to know the brand new supervisor, the brand new gamers and dealing actually laborious. He needs me to be simply as I’ve all the time been: completely happy, constructive and enjoying. All of us completed fully useless on our ft.”
Vinicius Jr: Actual Madrid ahead jilts Arsenal
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta smiled broadly however dodged the query when he was repeatedly requested about Vinicius Junior after his aspect’s pleasant win at Girona on Saturday.
Mourinho voiced worries over the dearth of coaching time he can have with key senior gamers together with Vinicius Junior after his staff’s draw with Fiorentina on the identical day, saying he would “prefer to have three weeks” with him.
Madrid’s enthusiastic protection of Vinicius Junior’s return maybe emphasised that the 15-time European champions expect him to remain.
The membership posted footage of each of Vinicius Junior’s first periods making ready for the 2026/27 season, titling the second “Vini Jr is again!” in capital letters.
Vinicius Junior: What Arsenal mentioned
Arteta mentioned Arsenal are “very lively, making an attempt to enhance and evolve the staff”. “That’s clear,” added the Spaniard.
“We count on to have actions within the subsequent few weeks as a result of we need to get higher, like anyone else.
“You possibly can simply see the switch market and our opponents and what they’re doing. We’re very formidable with what we need to do.
“The margins are very small and if we need to get higher, the extent goes to extend. We have to improve the competitors internally.
“We have to be sure that we establish the issues we don’t have within the staff to have greater margins. That’s the best way we have now to suppose.
“We’ve got much more duty and ambition than earlier than. We all know what’s forward; we all know the qualities and capability we have now to compete with any staff, however we have to show that we belong at this degree [of champions] now.”
Vinicius Jr stats: Finest FIFA, La Liga, Champions League
Signed from Flamengo for a reported payment of round £39.4 million in 2018, Vinicius Junior’s particular person honours embody the 2023/24 Champions League Participant of the Season award and the 2024 Finest FIFA Males’s Participant honour.
He was the Ballon d’Or runner as much as Rodri in the identical 12 months. Right here’s a take a look at the trophies Vinicius Junior has gained with Madrid.
| Competitors | Winner |
|---|---|
| La Liga | 2019/20, 2021/22, 2023/24 |
| Copa del Rey | 2022/23 |
| Spanish Tremendous Cup | 2020, 2022, 2024 |
| Champions League | 2021/22, 2023/24 |
| Tremendous Cup | 2022, 2024 |
| Membership World Cup | 2018, 2022 |
| Intercontinental Cup | 2024 |
Actual Madrid schedule: When does Vinicius Junior’s season begin?
Madrid’s aggressive season begins away to Espanyol on August 22 (20:30 BST). Arsenal kick off a day earlier at dwelling to Coventry Metropolis (20:00).
