Vinicius Junior closes in on lucrative Real Madrid contract extension to end Arsenal transfer hopes

According to Sky Sports News, Vinicius is set to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu after holding highly positive discussions with Real Madrid on Wednesday. The Spanish club have reportedly improved their contract offer to the forward during meetings at their training ground.

Real Madrid are growing increasingly confident of retaining the player after proposing a substantial salary increase, which would see him earn £18.5 million per year.

Talks over an extension to an agreement that expires next June first began in January 2025. Arsenal have pushed heavily to complete a sensational transfer, matching his initial wage demands, but the new offer from the Spanish giants has completely changed the trajectory of these prolonged negotiations.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the major breakthrough regarding the future of Vinicius. The respected journalist revealed that the attacker is incredibly close to signing a long-term extension. Real Madrid have always wanted a resolution as soon as possible to avoid a summer saga.

Romano stated: "My understanding is that after a face-to-face meeting today in Madrid between Vinicius, his agents from Roc Nation and [the] Real Madrid board, the agreement for Vinicius to stay at Real Madrid and sign a new contract is getting really close. Vinicius is increasingly closer to staying at Real Madrid and signing a new contract."

Despite the growing optimism, Vinicius added massive uncertainty on Wednesday night by abruptly wiping his entire Instagram history. The account, boasting nearly 64 million followers, currently displays zero images. Such a dramatic social media blackout often signals dissatisfaction, fuelling rumours of an imminent switch to Arsenal. However, Mourinho views him as a vital component for the upcoming campaign.

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta recently outlined his transfer window plans, making it clear that his squad is actively seeking reinforcements. Arteta explained: "We expect to have movements in the next few weeks, obviously. We want to get better like anybody else, and you can see the transfer market and our opponents... We won't sit still and we are very ambitious with what we are doing. The margins are very small. Because we want to get better and the level is going to increase."

Real Madrid expect Vinicius to officially communicate his final acceptance of the new contract proposal within the coming hours. Once the formal paperwork is completely signed, the club will announce the long-term extension. Meanwhile, Arsenal must immediately shift their focus to alternative targets in the transfer market before the summer window closes.