Jose Mourinho explains why Vinicius Junior didn’t try to move to Arsenal this summer.
Vinicius Junior was Arsenal’s number one target this summer, but the Premier League champions couldn’t persuade the Brazilian to move to London. The 26-year-old chose to stay at the Bernabeu, signing a new contract that keeps him at Real Madrid until 2032.
He decided to continue playing under Jose Mourinho at La Liga rather than joining Arsenal and working with Mikel Arteta. Now, Mourinho has opened up about why Vinicius decided to stay at Los Blancos.
Arteta has shared his goal to strengthen his squad so Arsenal can fight for trophies on all fronts. He wants to keep their Premier League crown and go further in the Champions League after losing last season’s final to PSG. To help with that, Arsenal tried to sign Vinicius Junior but couldn’t convince him to join.
Now, Mourinho has explained the Brazilian star’s choice to remain at Real Madrid, admitting he was surprised Vinicius didn’t try to leave. Before Madrid’s game against Sevilla, Mourinho said, “He’s a fantastic guy, really easy to get along with. I spend a few minutes with him every day and admire him a lot. He always stays positive and wears a smile.
“If I were in his place, I probably wouldn’t be here. I’d try to move to a place where I felt more valued. But out of loyalty and love for Real Madrid, he stayed. He believes things will get better, and he still has that smile. No one can take that away from him.”
Mourinho, a two-time Champions League winner, is now back managing Madrid for the second time. His job is to bring trophies back to the Bernabeu, just like he did during his first spell. Real Madrid haven’t won a trophy in the past two seasons.
Although people were hopeful when he returned, seeing him as a strong leader who could fix things, the club currently sits nine points behind Barcelona in La Liga. Their performances this season have also left many doubting whether they can win the Champions League.