Petit says Arsenal dodged a bullet by missing out on Vinicius Jr over mentality concerns

Emmanuel Petit has told Arsenal they may have had a lucky escape after failing to sign Vinicius Jr during the summer transfer window, citing the Real Madrid forward’s temperament as a potential problem for Mikel Arteta’s squad.

The Gunners, who won the Premier League title for the first time in 20 years last May, were reportedly in pole position to land the Brazilian after he reached an impasse in contract talks at the Bernabeu. Vinicius ultimately signed a new deal to remain in Madrid, ending Arsenal’s hopes of a move.

Petit, who won the domestic double with Arsenal in 1997-98, believes the club’s culture of humility made Vinicius a poor fit regardless. “I think Vinicius Jnr is a really talented player but in terms of his mentality I am not sure he is a good fit for Arsenal,” Petit told Boyle Sports. “I see so many humble players at Arsenal so if you all of a sudden bring in someone who is completely different, it can be a problem, especially with Arteta’s style of management.”

Petit pointed to a recent flashpoint involving Vinicius and Real Betis manager Jose Mourinho as evidence of the Brazilian’s volatile streak. “It reminded me of what happened with Xabi Alonso last season when he didn’t want to shake his hand,” he said. “In those moments he is sending the wrong message. I think he is probably a bullet dodged for Arsenal.”

The Frenchman was careful to separate talent from temperament, adding: “I would have loved to see a player with the talent of Vinicius Jnr play for Arsenal, but with his mentality and his ego I think it would have made for a really difficult situation to cope with.”

Arsenal’s summer business did yield several arrivals — Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa and Christos Tzolis have all made early impressions — but Arteta was unable to secure the elite attacking reinforcement he sought. A prolonged pursuit of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez also ended without a deal, with the Argentine’s reluctance to move to the Emirates ultimately proving decisive.

Petit was far less philosophical about missing out on Alvarez, arguing the World Cup winner would have been a natural fit. “Julian Alvarez is the striker Arsenal need. He knows the Premier League. He has great movement, great technical skills, and he would perfectly fit the DNA of this Arsenal team in how he plays one-touch football,” he said. “I really like everything about him as a player.”

Viktor Gyokeres, signed to lead the line, endured a difficult debut season, and the failure to add a proven top-tier attacker leaves Arteta with questions to answer heading into the campaign.