José Mourinho has made his position clear to Real Madrid, insisting that Vinícius Júnior must remain at the club this summer.
The Portuguese manager is understood to have urged the Spanish giants to keep the Brazil international, a stance that would effectively block any potential move from Arsenal during the current transfer window.
Softfootball previously reported that Arsenal had begun exploring the possibility of signing Vinícius, with the interest approved internally despite remaining at an early stage.
No club-to-club negotiations have taken place, but the Gunners identified the Real Madrid forward as a marquee attacking target while closely monitoring his contract situation.
Real Madrid remain determined to avoid any scenario that could see Vinícius leave on a free transfer, with discussions over a new contract still ongoing.
With Mourinho now firmly backing the winger’s stay, Arsenal’s hopes of landing one of the world’s best attackers appear to have suffered a significant setback, as Real Madrid continue to prioritise keeping Vinícius at the Santiago Bernabéu.
