Real Madrid: Vinicius Junior drops huge future hint amid Arsenal interest

play Live Sign upShow navigation menuNavigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedSportOpinionVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelSponsored Contentplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upSport|FootballReal Madrid: Vinicius Junior drops huge future hint amid Arsenal interestBrazilian football’s Vinicius has been linked to Arsenal and Manchester United, but heaps praise on new Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoReal Madrid's Vinicius Junior scored four times for Brazil at the FIFA World Cup 2026 [Marcelo Del Pozo/Reuters]By ReutersPublished On 4 Aug 20264 Aug 2026Real Madrid’s Brazilian ‌forward Vinicius Junior is settling into life under new manager ⁠Jose Mourinho ⁠with a smile on his face even as uncertainty swirls around his future at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 26-year-old, who has ⁠been one of the lynchpins of Real Madrid’s attack in recent years, gave an upbeat assessment of his second day of ⁠pre-season training under the Portuguese coach despite speculation linking him with a possible move to Arsenal. “It has gone very well, getting to know the new coach and the new players, and training very hard,” Vinicius told ‌Real Madrid TV on Tuesday. “Mourinho wants me to be as I have always been: happy, cheerful and playing my football.” Vinicius’ cheerful demeanour, however, masks a potentially thorny situation brewing behind the scenes. He is in the final year of his Real Madrid contract, with Spanish and British media reporting that the club and player remain locked in ⁠negotiations while Premier League champions Arsenal explore a ⁠potential transfer. Vinicius has scored 128 goals for Real and provided 100 assists, with the club reluctant to let one of their prized assets leave for free next year. He ⁠had a busy summer playing for Brazil at the World Cup, where they were knocked out ⁠in the last 16, and his focus ⁠now is on preparing for the new campaign. “We have to prepare physically so that during the season we have fewer injuries and can count on everyone,” said Vinicius, who ‌was Brazil’s top scorer at the World Cup with four goals. “It was a good training session, and we all left very tired. But ‌now, it’s time to rest [for more training on Wednesday]. That’s how pre-season is, and we have to be ready.” Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: