'The biggest signing of the year' - Arsenal 'not afraid' of cost of Vinicius Junior deal
Arsenal are well aware of just how much money in commercial gains Vinicius Junior will bring to the club if he arrives from Real Madrid this summer.
That is according to former Tottenham, Everton and Aston Villa scout, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.
The Gunners hope to pull off a sensational deal for the 26-year-old this summer, as they await the outcome of the player's final talks on the one year remaining on his contract.
Arsenal have already approved their offer to Vinicius Jr among all levels of the hierarchy and are ready to make him one of the highest paid players in the Premier League.
The Brazilian would reportedly prefer to stay in Madrid, but the move to North London would appeal to him if a new deal cannot be agreed.
Arsenal have already signed Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier this summer, and are set to complete a move for Bruno Guimaraes.
KSE 'see the potential' of Vinicius Jr
Before 2018, Arsenal's majority owners, Kroenke Sports and Entertainment (KSE) faced huge question marks.
Stan Kroenke and his son, Josh, were stingy and often left Arsene Wenger to work with a shoestring budget.
After gaining 100 per cent ownership, however, the Americans have put their money where their mouths are and have backed Mikel Arteta especially.
A move for Vinicius Jr would be a prime example, with the eye-watering financials involved something Arsenal never would have agreed to before 2018.
"I think this fella's really going to give you strength, Guimaraes. But the other fella's going to bring so much PR and so much commercialism and advertising in the football club. I mean, this is the biggest signing of the year," King told Football Insider.
"You know, I don't think the people who own Arsenal are afraid of what it's going to cost, because they already own the Los Angeles Rams and the Denver Nuggets.
"Where, you're talking about contracts there, which dwarf anything in the Premier League, even [Erling] Haaland's. I mean, you're talking about baseball players and American football players who've signed 10-year deals for $400-500m.
"So I think they can see the potential of him. And of course, to bring in a player of that quality, Christ alive, it's certainly showing your supporters that we're a club that want to keep our best players, but improve by bringing in the best. And if they get those two players in now, the Newcastle boy and him, Jesus Christ."
Arsenal entering crunch Vinicius Jr hours
After a long saga, it looks as if Arsenal have finally found a breakthrough with Newcastle in their negotiations for Guimaraes.
The midfielder is now set to undergo a medical after a deal worth up to £80m was agreed.
There is still some waiting to be done in the case of Vinicius Jr, with his final contract talks with Real Madrid set to take place in the coming hours.
Arsenal and Arteta will patiently await an outcome, with a potentially era-defining signing on the table.