Emmanuel Petit has claimed Arsenal “dodged a bullet” by not signing Vinicius Junior, questioning the Brazilian’s mentality and whether he would suit Mikel Arteta’s methods.
Arsenal were linked with the signing of a marquee left winger, particularly Vinicius Junior, during the summer transfer window but ultimately brought in only Christos Tzolis as a wide attacking option. During the window, the club also sold Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, leading many fans to feel that the addition of the Greek international was not enough.
However, Tzolis has performed admirably so far, playing important roles in recent victories over Chelsea, Napoli, and Coventry City. Arsenal still need a top-quality winger in the long term, but they did attempt to sign several high-profile players during the summer.
Mikel Arteta was keen to sign Vinicius Junior, with the club identifying an opportunity to bring in one of the world’s most renowned left wingers. Arsenal were reportedly willing to offer the Brazilian a club-record contract, and negotiations appeared to be progressing. Ultimately, though, the decision depended on the player.
Emmanuel Petit’s verdict on Vinicius Junior chase
Reports suggested that Arsenal had reached an agreement on personal terms with Vinicius, but the winger eventually chose to remain at Real Madrid. Some viewed this as a missed opportunity for Arsenal, while others considered it a “dodged bullet”. Former Gunners midfielder Emmanuel Petit appears to share the latter view, according to comments reported by The Mirror.
Petit said, “I think Vinicius Junior is a really talented player, but in terms of his mentality, I am not sure he is a good fit for Arsenal. That’s just my opinion. I see so many humble players at Arsenal, so if you suddenly bring in someone completely different, it can be a problem, especially with Arteta’s style of management.
“Look at what happened between Vinicius Junior and Jose Mourinho in the last game between Real Betis and Real Madrid. It reminded me of what happened with Xabi Alonso last season when he did not want to shake his hand.”
“Vinicius Junior receives so much criticism from the fans, the press and social media, but in those moments, he sends the wrong message. I think he was probably a bullet dodged for Arsenal in that situation. I would have loved to see a player with Vinicius Junior’s talent play for Arsenal, but with his mentality and ego, I think it would have created a really difficult situation for the club to manage.”
Arsenal also pursued Julian Alvarez during the summer but ultimately could not convince the player to abandon his dream of joining Barcelona. There are now significant doubts over whether the Argentine will ever move to the Emirates in the near future, while Arsenal’s pursuit of Vinicius Junior appears to be over.
Petit’s doubts about the Brazilian’s mentality may hold some weight, as may the question of whether Vinicius would suit Arteta’s approach. However, those are issues Arsenal would have needed to assess themselves. The club did attempt to sign the Brazilian but were ultimately unable to complete the move.
