Arsenal transfer news: Mikel Arteta now 'so smitten' with signing new 'no.1 target' for British record

Arsenal have made Vinicius Jr their dream attacking target as Mikel Arteta looks to add a genuine superstar to his Premier League-winning squad.

The Real Madrid forward has emerged as the Gunners' preferred option after they missed out on Morgan Rogers to Chelsea earlier this summer.

However, landing the Brazil international would require one of the biggest deals in football history.

Vinicius Jr has become Arsenal's top transfer target

According to BBC Sport's Sami Mokbel, Vinicius has become Arsenal's 'number one' transfer target as Arteta searches for a world-class left-sided attacker.

The report states that the Arsenal boss has become 'so smitten' with the idea of signing the Real Madrid star that he is now viewed internally as the club's top priority.

The Gunners hierarchy have explored whether there is an opportunity to capitalise on Vinicius entering the final year of his contract, although club officials acknowledge a deal remains a major challenge.

Real Madrid are still attempting to agree a new contract with the 26-year-old, while Arsenal know they would almost certainly have to break the British transfer record, potentially paying well in excess of £130 million alongside a salary package that would make him the club's highest-paid player.

Should Arsenal obliterate the British record to sign Vinicius Jr?

If there is one player capable of taking Arsenal from Champions League finalists to European champions, it is arguably Vinicius Jr.

Arteta has already assembled one of the strongest squads in Europe, but the penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in last season's Champions League final showed just how fine the margins are at the very highest level. Adding a genuine Ballon d'Or contender could be the difference.

Vinicius remains one of the world's most devastating attackers. Across La Liga and the Champions League last season, he scored 21 goals and registered 14 assists in just 50 appearances, averaging a goal involvement every 114 minutes despite constantly facing elite opposition.

The financial commitment would be extraordinary, and there is no guarantee he is prepared to leave Madrid when he could earn even more by running down his contract. But opportunities to sign players of this calibre almost never arise.

If Arsenal genuinely have the financial capability to complete the deal without compromising the rest of the squad, this is exactly the sort of statement signing that can define an era.

Expensive? Undoubtedly. Worth it? For a player of Vinicius' quality and global stature, Arsenal should seriously consider breaking every transfer record they have.