Mourinho reveals he urged Vinicius to reject Arsenal and stay at Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho told Vinicius Junior that a move to Arsenal was “not worth it” before the Brazilian winger signed a contract extension with Real Madrid through 2032, the Portuguese coach has revealed.

Vinicius, 26, had been strongly linked with a transfer to the Emirates Stadium while his previous deal entered its final year, with negotiations over fresh terms stalling over his salary demands. Ultimately, Real Madrid met his wage requirements following a meeting between his agents, the club’s hierarchy, and Mourinho.

Speaking to Spanish outlet El Chiringuito TV ahead of the new season, Mourinho described his conversation with the forward. “Obviously I talked to him, but Vinicius has fallen in love with Real Madrid,” he said. “The only thing I told him was: ‘Vini, where do you want to go? You’ve only been in Brazil and you only know Real Madrid… You only understand Real Madrid when you leave. When you leave, that’s when you realise what Real Madrid is. Don’t leave. It’s not worth it’.”

Mourinho also praised Vinicius’s commitment to the club’s collective project. “I think what he has felt in terms of the group’s growth, the way we’ve been working and developing, has given him a very important feeling,” he added. “Vinicius is another machine — it’s a pleasure to watch him work. We have a lot of quality.”

With the Vinicius pursuit closed off, Arsenal shifted their focus to defensive reinforcements. The club are reportedly closing in on signing Aston Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa, with owners from both clubs now involved in negotiating a final fee. Links to Jarell Quansah of Bayer Leverkusen and Barcelona’s Jules Kounde have also emerged.

Konsa, who featured for England at the World Cup alongside Arsenal players Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, is capable of playing both centre-back and right-back — a versatility that is understood to appeal to manager Mikel Arteta. The defender has not yet completed a pre-season due to his international commitments, which could affect his availability for Arsenal’s opening fixture against Coventry on Friday night.