Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori has given his view on his club's attempts to sign Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior during the current summer transfer window.
Uncertainty surrounds the Brazilian's future at the Bernabeu. With his contract situation unclear, Vinicius has been linked with the Champions League runners-up.
His deal expires in June 2027, and the decision now rests with the forward himself. Real Madrid raised their initial offer, but it fell short of his demands.
Calafiori addressed the negotiations after the Gunners' 3-1 friendly defeat to Real Betis yesterday.
According to the newspaper "AS", the Italian defender faced questions over the rumours surrounding Bruno Guimaraes and Vinicius, and the standing those two names would bring to Arsenal among the elite of world football.
"We are now at this level," Calafiori replied. "We are at the top, and we want to win the league again. We want to be better than we were last season, if possible, so we need this kind of player."
The Guimaraes deal is edging closer. Signing Vinicius would represent a huge competitive leap for Arsenal, though matters remain unresolved.