Real Madrid board members recommend Vinicius Jr sale, handing Arsenal fresh hope

Real Madrid board members have recommended that president Florentino Perez consider selling Vinicius Jr — either in January or next summer — with an asking price of approximately €150 million, according to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes. The development hands Arsenal and other interested clubs a potential opening to sign the 26-year-old winger.

The trigger for the internal discussions appears to be the rapid emergence of 19-year-old Yan Diomande, who joined Real Madrid as a new signing and seized his opportunity after Vinicius Jr was sent off against Villarreal and handed a four-match ban. Diomande’s performances — including a well-received display in Sunday’s El Clasico victory over Barcelona, a game Vinicius Jr missed through suspension — have reportedly shifted thinking inside the Bernabeu.

“Diomande’s rise has reportedly led several board members to recommend that Florentino Perez consider selling Vinicius,” Fichajes claimed. “The asking price to initiate negotiations would be approximately €150 million.”

Despite the speculation, Real Madrid hold a strong contractual hand. The club officially extended Vinicius Jr’s deal in August, tying him to the Bernabeu until June 2032. Fichajes noted that “there is no immediate contractual obligation to sell, and any suitor would have to submit an offer that compensates for the loss of the Brazilian.”

Vinicius Jr has scored once and registered three assists in eight La Liga appearances this season — modest numbers for a player who finished second in the 2024 Ballon d’Or vote. His standing at the club has nonetheless been complicated by the suspension and Diomande’s impact.

Arsenal were persistently linked with a move for the Brazilian during last summer’s transfer window but ultimately shifted their focus elsewhere. Injuries to Bukayo Saka and Christos Tzolis have since thinned Mikel Arteta’s wide options, and the Gunners’ need for proven quality on the flanks could make a renewed pursuit more pressing. Any deal at the reported valuation would represent a significant outlay, even for a Premier League title-winning club.