Failed Arsenal transfer move 'part of the problem' as £120m star endures poor start to the season

Vinicius Jr has endured a difficult start to the season at Real Madrid after Arsenal came close to signing the Brazil international during the summer.

The Gunners made a strong push for the winger while his long-term future at the Bernabeu remained uncertain.

However, the 26-year-old ultimately signed a new contract until 2032, while his form has dipped since the beginning of the campaign.

Vinicius Jr has struggled at Real Madrid so far this season

© Iconsport / PressInphoto

Vinicius scored and assisted in Real Madrid's 4-1 win over Real Sociedad on August 26th, but has since managed just two assists across his next six appearances.

That is a notable drop from the 22 goals and 14 assists he produced last season, with Radio Marca's Raul Varela suggesting, via Sport Witness, that the summer's uncertainty has contributed to his struggles.

Varela pointed to several factors, including the 2026 World Cup, Jose Mourinho's arrival, Vinicius' contract situation and Arsenal's interest being 'part of the problem', claiming the forward has changed from the player who “dances, laughs, provokes, challenges, dribbles, scores, and decides the game”.

Arsenal's interest was reportedly serious enough to force Real Madrid into action.

Varela claims CEO Richard Garlick personally led the Gunners' attempts and “almost succeeded”, prompting president Florentino Perez to intervene and secure Vinicius' renewal.

The £120m-rated forward endured another difficult outing in the Madrid derby last weekend, playing 54 minutes without a shot on target and losing possession seven times during the 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Should Vinicius Jr have joined Arsenal during the summer transfer window?

© Iconsport / Maciej Rogowski / SOPA Images/Sipa USA

Arsenal certainly haven't dodged a bullet simply because Vinicius has struggled early in the season.

He remains a world-class player whose quality would have represented a major addition to Mikel Arteta's attack.

However, that doesn't mean a move to north London would automatically have produced better results at this stage of the campaign.

The reported £120m valuation and expectation of making Vinicius the Premier League's highest-paid player would have brought enormous pressure, while adapting to a new league and team would have presented its own challenges.

His current struggles at Real Madrid therefore do not suggest Arsenal would necessarily have been better off if they had completed the deal.

But whether Vinicius should have made the move or not is too early to tell.