José Mourinho, Real Madrid's new coach, has set out his position on the possibility of his Brazilian star Vinicius Junior leaving for Arsenal.
Vinicius's name has recently been linked with a move to the London club, after Real Madrid have so far failed to renew a contract that expires next summer.
According to The Telegraph, Mourinho opposes any departure and has told the club's management he wants to keep all his big stars.
Arsenal's interest in the samba star is genuinely real, as The Athletic revealed. But sources say Mourinho made it clear to Real Madrid's management that he wants all his key players kept out of any talk of a sale.
The Portuguese is insistent on keeping Vinicius, Kylian Mbappé and Bellingham in his squad for the new season.
Arsenal's pursuit of Vinicius remains at an early stage, yet it reflects just how far the club have come in recent years.
Winning the Premier League title and reaching the Champions League final has changed everything. Arsenal can now enter the race for elite players, a world away from where they stood when Arteta arrived.
Telegraph Sport revealed that Mourinho clearly opposes the deal. Then there is the money. Vinicius earns around £400,000 per week, a figure that would pile enormous pressure on Arsenal's budget and make him the highest paid player at the club. And that is before anyone tackles the value of the transfer itself.