Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit believes the club escaped a serious problem when it failed to sign Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior this summer.
Arsenal won the Premier League title for the first time since 2004 in May, and manager Mikel Arteta moved quickly to strengthen his squad. Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa and Christos Tzolis made immediate impressions, but the club did not sign a top-level striker. Arteta had indicated the need for a new forward after a difficult first season for Viktor Gyokeres.
Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez was linked with Arsenal throughout the transfer window, though his hesitation about a move to the Emirates ultimately ended any chance of a deal.
Signing Vinicius Junior was also strongly discussed at one point. Arsenal felt they were closest to landing the Brazilian, whose contract renewal talks had reached an impasse. The club was optimistic about completing the deal before Vinicius eventually signed a new contract to stay at the Bernabeu.
However, rather than seeing that as a negative, Petit, who won the double with Arsenal in 1997/98, believes Arteta might have struggled to manage a personality like Vinicius.
Petit’s Concerns About Vinicius Junior
Speaking to the British newspaper Mirror, Petit said: “I think Vinicius Junior is a very talented player, but mentally, I’m not sure he is suited to Arsenal. That’s just my opinion.”
He added: “I see a lot of humble players at Arsenal, so if you suddenly bring in someone completely different, that could be a problem, especially with Arteta’s management style.”
Petit continued: “Look at what happened between Vinicius Junior and Jose Mourinho in the Real Betis and Real Madrid match. It reminded me of what happened with Xabi Alonso last season when he refused to shake his hand.”
The Frenchman, a 1998 World Cup winner with France, said: “Vinicius Junior receives harsh criticism from fans, the press and social media, but in those moments he sends the wrong message. I think Arsenal may have avoided a real disaster given that moment.”
He went on: “I would have loved to see a player with Vinicius Junior’s talent play for Arsenal, but with his mentality and arrogance, I think it would have created a very difficult situation to handle.”
Julian Alvarez Would Have Been a Better Fit
Missing out on Alvarez was a blow, according to Petit, who believes the Argentine would have integrated smoothly.
Petit said: “Julian Alvarez is the striker Arsenal need. Why? Because he knows the Premier League well. He is a very talented player, with great movement and high technical skills, and he would fit perfectly into Arsenal’s current style of play thanks to his one-touch approach. I really admire him as a player.”
He concluded: “But it’s clear he wants Barcelona, and if he didn’t leave Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window, do you really think he will leave the club in the winter transfer window? I’m not sure about that.”