Arsenal's Vinicius Junior deal was 'good PR' but this is why it was never going to happen - transfer expert

Vinicius Junior and his agent used interest from Arsenal to ensure he got a bigger contract when renewing his terms with Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old was named as a top target for the Gunners as they look to strengthen Mikel Arteta's squad, but it was already seen as a difficult deal to pull off.

Los Blancos have since announced that the superstar has agreed a contract extension, putting an end to Arsenal's pursuit, and forcing them to assess other targets.

Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Vinicius Junior was never considering joining Arsenal and always planned to extend his stay in Madrid.

The finances involved in any deal for the Brazil winger always made the deal difficult to pull off, with concerns also growing about breaking the club's wage structure.

At Real Madrid, though, they were keen to show Vinicius Junior that he remains a big part of their plans, and he has always been happy to stay.

Did Arsenal have any chance of signing Vinicius Junior?

Football Insider revealed on 31 July that Vinicus Junior was ideally planning to stay at Real Madrid and hoped they would table an improved contract offer.

After months of negotiations, Arsenal's entry into the race for his signature ultimately served for the player and his agent to demand a higher fee than was on the table before.

The Gunners, meanwhile, could benefit from their pursuit of one of the world's best players as they made a public show of their ambition and long-term targets.

"Vinicius Junior to Arsenal was never going to happen, ultimately," Brown told Football Insider.

"The player and his agent used the interest from Arsenal to get a bumper new deal at Real Madrid and put pressure on them to increase the offer that was on the table.

"From an Arsenal point of view, they knew what was happening, they knew they were never likely to sign Vinicius Junior, but it was a good PR opportunity for them.

"Ultimately, everybody wins. The players gets a big new deal, Real Madrid keep their star man, and Arsenal get a public show of their ambitions and it keeps the fans happy.

"They'll have been doing work in the background for alternative options as well, and I'm sure if the opportunity came up they would have been keen, but it was never going to happen.

"Vinicius Junior always wanted to stay at Real Madrid, he wasn't really considering joining Arsenal, and now they all have to move on."

Which other wingers are on Arsenal's radar?

Vinicius Junior is not the only winger Arsenal have considered signing this summer, with the club working behind the scenes to identify multiple options in his position.

Following the news that the Brazil star would sign a new deal at Real Madrid, the Gunners' efforts are set to be focused elsewhere, with big names on their radar.

Football Insider revealed in June that Arsenal were leading the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola, who remains one of their leading targets.

Liverpool are the most recent club to have been linked with the France international after he turned down a new contract at PSG, but they could now face competition.

Interest in a deal is expected to hot up in the closing stages of the window, but as things stand, both clubs are preparing to race to agree a deal for Barcola.