Real Madrid has rejected Arsenal’s interest in signing Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr, insisting the 26-year-old will remain at the Spanish club despite ongoing contract uncertainties. The club is reportedly willing to let Vinicius see out the final year of his £400,000-a-week deal rather than negotiate a transfer this summer.

Manager Jose Mourinho is keen to retain Vinicius, viewing the forward as an essential part of Real’s plans moving forward. However, Vinicius has yet to agree to a new contract, leading to speculation about his future at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Arsenal, managed by Mikel Arteta, identified Vinicius as a potential game-changing acquisition to strengthen their attacking options following the recent World Cup. The English club is also preparing for the return of several key players, including left-back Piero Hincapie and Brazilian duo Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli, all of whom are due back from international duty this week.

With many first-team players still unavailable, Arteta has been relying on younger talents during the pre-season period. Academy prospects such as Max Dowman, 16, along with Marli Salmon, 16, and Andre Harriman-Annous, 18, have been given opportunities to impress ahead of the new campaign. Additionally, summer signing Tzolis has been integrated into the squad and appears ready for competitive action.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid announced that despite a trophyless previous season, the club had set a new record for revenue, generating £1.04 billion in the 2025-26 campaign—marking the highest income ever reported by a sports team in a single season.