Real Madrid star emerges as Arsenal alternative after Vinicius Junior snub

Real Madrid star emerges as Arsenal alternative after Vinicius Junior snub There is a chance that Real Madrid finally make a winter signing when the transfer window re-opens in January, having failed to bring anyone in mid-season since 2019. However, it’s more likely that one or two players, with a couple of attacking options have been identified as candidates to move on. Endrick is due to have his situation re-assessed in the lead-up to January, and if he continues to play few minutes, he’s likely to depart on loan. Likewise, Rodrygo’s case also has plenty of uncertainty, given there is no knowledge to whether Mourinho is counting him as an option for the 2026-27 season and beyond. Rodrygo has been out with an ACL injury since March, and while he is due back at the end of the year, it’s unclear whether Mourinho will count on him as a leading attacking option, given he already has a lot of quality on the wings. Thus, a transfer could be on the cards, especially with Arsenal retaining their interest in his services, as per TEAMtalk (via CaughtOffside ). Rodrygo emerges as Vinicius Junior alternative Rodrygo has been on Arsenal’s radar for some time. They were ready to move for him in the summer, although those plans were scrapped when he tore his ACL. Instead, the Premier League champions tried to sign Vinicius Junior , but he ended up signing a new Real Madrid contract – this has allowed them to pivot back to their previous target. Rodrygo is the sort of player that Mourinho is likely to count on, although it’s difficult to see how he plays consistently. Vinicius is undisputed on the left wing, while Arda Guler and Yan Diomande are already competing for one spot on the right, and both are better-placed than the Brazilian to make the position their own for much of the 2026-27 campaign.