How close did Vinicius Jr actually come to joining Arsenal?

Arsenal went into the first international break on a low after what was a solid start to the season. They had won four games from four before making the trip to play Brighton last weekend. The Gunners lost 3-0, and now sit second in the Premier League table as we wait for league football to return.

The international break has come at a good time, as it'll allow Mikel Arteta to reset, and it has also allowed the Gunners to extend his contract. However, there are still some major issues that need addressing, none more so than at left wing.

Both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard left in the summer for a combined fee of £77 million. Arsenal did partially replace the duo by signing Christos Tzolis, who has had a decent start to life in North London, but there is still a gap at left wing, and the Gunners are missing a difference-maker, especially now that Kai Havertz is injured in the striker spot.

Arsenal came very close to signing Vinicius Jr

In the summer, the Gunners were linked with several world class wingers. They had the chance to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, but he eventually joined Chelsea, and they were also heavily linked with Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr.

It was understood that Arsenal were in talks over a move for the Brazil international in what would have been a major coup for Andrea Berta, however, they weren't able to get a deal over the line, and are now left with a remaining need at left wing.

But how close did the Gunners actually get to bringing Vini Jr to the Emirates? As it turns out, they were very close. According to reports in Spain, Vinicius Jr's teammates even thought that he would come to Arsenal. Spanish outlet Cadena SER claims that the 26-year-old's Real Madrid teammates thought it was a 'forgone conclusion' that he would leave for Arsenal, which means they must have been well into advanced talks before the deal collapsed.

The contract situation is understood to have been the main reason why the Brazilian winger didn't join Arsenal, as the Gunners weren't able to match his demands. In the end, Vinicius Jr. signed a six-year contract extension with Real Madrid, which is worth over €31 million per year.

Considering the extortionate amount that the player demanded, it seems that Arsenal may have dodged a bullet. If they had forked out for Vini Jr's contract, there still would've been no gurantee that it would've worked out for him in England, which could've amounted in a lot of wasted money.

Arsenal still need that left-winger, though, so the solution is to see who they could potentially get in the January transfer window, so that they have fresh legs coming into the squad for the title run-in.

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