Arsenal have received ‘information’ from Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior’s ‘inner circle’ as they launch an ambitious move to bring the Brazilian to the Emirates.

Having failed to land number one attacking target Morgan Rogers this summer, Arsenal have turned their attentions to alternative targets, such as Yan Diomande and Vini Jr.

The Gunners made a call regarding Diomande’s situation after a move for Rogers was hijacked by Chelsea, according to Fabrizio Romano, but it was made clear that the winger’s preference was to join Paris Saint-Germain.

Now, it appears as though he could be on his way to Real Madrid instead, which could potentially open the door to an exit for Vinicius Junior, given both often operate from the left flank.

There is no doubt that the north London outfit prising the Brazil international away from the Bernabeu this summer would be an enormous statement of intent, and send shockwaves across Europe.

But it is the type of signing a club who has just won the Premier League and reached the final of a Champions League should be looking to make, as they look to reach the next level.

Arsenal face a big battle to get a deal over the line however.

What Vini Jr is Telling ‘Good Friends’ About Real Madrid Exit

Kim Price/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA via Reuters

New ‘information’ has now emerged from reliable Spanish journalist Tomas Rancero about Vini Jr’s stance on a move away from Real Madrid this summer, with contract talks between the parties still at a standstill.

The 26-year-old has allegedly made it clear to his friends how he feels about potentially leaving Real Madrid on a free transfer, with his contract due to expire next summer.

Speaking on Diario AS’s YouTube channel, Rancero said:

“Take note of this. This is information from his inner circle, because Vinicius has good friends in Madrid and what he’s been saying in recent weeks is that he doesn’t want to leave without leaving a single Euro in Real Madrid’s coffers.

“In other words, when people bring it up, and especially among friends, where conversations are natural and you have trust, they ask: ‘Are you leaving for free next year?’ He says: ‘No, I can’t leave Real Madrid for free because Real Madrid took me in when I was 16’.”

Arsenal to Accelerate Talks to Sign Another South American

via Reuters

According to GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs, Arsenal are also set to accelerate talks to sign another South American star this week.

The Gunners are keen to land another Brazilian in Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United, but they are yet to launch a formal offer to the Magpies for his services, with the Tyneside outfit continuing to deny any contact at all from the north Londoners over a potential deal, despite all the talk in the media.

Arsenal already have a buy-in from Newcastle’s captain over a switch to the Emirates, but finding an agreement on an appropriate fee will be the most difficult part of negotiations.

The Gunners are said to be willing to stretch beyond £70m for the 28-year-old, with Newcastle likely to reject an offer worth that for such a key player.

Manchester United are reportedly looking to sign a new striker this summer, and ‘one of the best strikers in the world’ has made it clear he wants to move to the Premier League, according to TEAMtalk.

Man United‘s main focus in the summer transfer window has been to transform their midfield options following Casemiro’s exit and the serious injury suffered by Manuel Ugarte at the 2026 World Cup.

With no signings, that left Kobbie Mainoo as one of the only specialist senior central midfielders in the squad ahead of the new season, even though the likes of Mason Mount and captain Bruno Fernandes could slot in there if needed.

The Red Devils have added two pieces of the midfield puzzle for a combined £85m in Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, but they are still on the hunt for another and probably a more specialist number six, amid links with the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni, Manu Kone and Carlos Baleba.

It doesn’t mean that they aren’t considering strengthening other positions in the team too though, as they gear up for their first Champions League campaign since the 2023-24 season.

They are also considering other areas such as striker, with Joshua Zirkzee’s future at Old Trafford in doubt.

Osimhen Wants Premier League Move After Man United Links

According to TEAMtalk, Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen still harbours hopes of a move to the Premier League, having so far failed to secure his desired switch to England.

The report says that sources close to the Manchester United-linked Nigerian have revealed the 27-year-old’s determination to test himself at the highest level, following a fine spell with the Turkish giants.

Osimhen, who has been described as ‘one of the best strikers in the world’ by international teammate Peter Etebo, had been in talks over a move to Chelsea previously, but a transfer collapsed due to disagreements over his salary.

Despite settling in Istanbul and scoring 59 goals in 74 games for Galatasaray, his long-term preference is still to play in England and his representatives are understood to be constantly exploring the options for his best next career move.

Osimhen is Man United’s Dream Target

CaughtOffside reported earlier this summer that Osimhen is United’s ‘dream’ striker target as they consider bringing in an experienced centre-forward to support Benjamin Sesko next season and beyond.

The Red Devils are said to see the Nigeria international as a ‘transformational’ signing who would not only provide huge competition for the Slovenian, but also someone to help develop him by playing alongside him in matches and at Carrington in training.

Any potential move is likely to depend on United’s remaining transfer budget this summer, with the report claiming at the time that Galatasaray would want at least €100m to consider letting their star striker leave.

His salary could also be an issue, given he is the Turkish outfit’s highest-paid player, with the Red Devils looking to get away from a situation where they are paying players obscene wages.

England could be forced to qualify for a tournament they are co-hosting, a situation that stands in sharp contrast to Argentina’s guaranteed place at the 2030 World Cup.

Euro 2028 will be staged across England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, yet the Three Lions and their neighbours have not been handed the automatic spots that are usually reserved for host nations.

That will frustrate England fans further given Argentina, who dumped them out of this summer’s World Cup, have already booked their place in the 2030 edition of the tournament, despite drawing widespread criticism during their North American campaign, with millions signing a petition calling for their exclusion from future tournaments.

Argentina Already Guaranteed Spot for the 2030 World Cup

Argentina’s route in is guaranteed thanks to FIFA’s unprecedented approach to the 2030 World Cup, which marks the competition’s centenary edition. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will host the majority of matches, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay have been given the honour of staging their opening games at home, as part of the celebrations.

As a result, all six countries have been rewarded with automatic qualification, a scale of guaranteed places without precedent at a World Cup.

It means Argentina, who were so heavily criticised for their conduct during this summer’s tournament, will already be safe in the knowledge that they are heading to the next one regardless of form, results, or Lionel Messi’s possible retirement between now and then.

Why England Won’t be Guaranteed a Place at Euro 2028

Paul Childs via Reuters

UEFA has taken a different approach for Euro 2028, allowing only two of the four co-hosts automatic entry. England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland will instead be placed into the standard qualifying draw, split across separate groups from one another.

All 12 group winners qualify automatically, along with the eight best runners-up, accounting for 20 of the 24 places. The remaining two spots are held as a safety net for hosts who fail to qualify conventionally, meaning England would only be guaranteed entry if two of the other three co-hosts also miss out. Should more than two hosts fail to qualify, the reserved places go by qualifying ranking instead.

Given England reached the semi-finals at the 2026 World Cup and were beaten finalists at both Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, they will be strongly fancied to win their group regardless of who they draw.

Euro 2028 will feature 24 teams playing 51 matches, with Wembley hosting the semi-finals and final.