Arsenal reportedly set sights on Vinicius Jr amid Real Madrid's pursuit of Diomande

Arsenal are considering a potential deal for Real Madrid's Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior, meanwhile, the Spanish giants are stepping up their efforts to sign RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande.

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The club's interest in Vinicius is genuine, according to reports from Sky Sports News on Saturday, although there has been no direct contact between Arsenal and Real Madrid regarding the player.

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Vinicius, who is 26 years old, has entered the final year of his contract with Real Madrid, and if a new deal cannot be agreed upon, the Spanish club may be willing to sell him to avoid losing him for free next summer.

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Arsenal are exploring several forward options, including Julian Alvarez, Diomande, and Bradley Barcola, in addition to Vinicius Junior.

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Real Madrid's interest in Diomande has been linked to the situation, with the Spanish club having an £85.4m bid rejected by RB Leipzig for the 19-year-old Ivorian winger.

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Liverpool and Arsenal have also shown interest in Diomande, while the player initially preferred a move to Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports.

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The lack of a completed agreement between PSG and Leipzig has given Real Madrid an opportunity to pursue the deal, with talkSPORT reporting that the club is intensifying its efforts to sign Diomande.

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A potential move for Vinicius could be a significant boost to Arsenal's squad, with Sky Sports' Peter Smith describing it as a "jaw-dropping addition" for the Premier League club.

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Smith noted that Arsenal are aiming to strengthen their left-wing options this summer, and a deal for Vinicius Junior would be a major coup, given that the player has one year left on his current Real Madrid contract.

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Vinicius was the runner-up in the 2024 Ballon d'Or voting and is considered one of Real Madrid's leading attacking players, having also been named one of the club's captains for the new season.

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According to Brazilian outlet ge, Vinicius will wear the armband in the absence of Federico Valverde, and the player has reportedly put aside any issues with new Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho.

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The report noted that Vinicius and Mourinho have been in touch since an incident last season, and are ready to start the new campaign together with a clean slate, although Arsenal's interest could potentially disrupt this plan.

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Arsenal have been looking to strengthen their left-wing options this summer, having sold Leandro Trossard to Besiktas for £17m and signed Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £34m.

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Gabriel Martinelli scored only one Premier League goal last season, highlighting the need for Arsenal to bolster their attacking lineup.

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Arsenal's interest in Vinicius remains exploratory, with no club-to-club contact reported, while Diomande is being pursued by Real Madrid and has also attracted interest from Liverpool.

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A move for Diomande could have significant implications for the transfer market around Vinicius, although no deal has been agreed for either player at this time.