Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has said that Vinicius Junior should have left in the summer of 2026, as Arsenal failed in their quest to bring the Brazilian superstar to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal were keen on signing Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid in the summer of 2026.

Vinicius Junior had one year left on his contract at the time, and the Premier League champions felt that they could strike a deal with the Brazil international winger as well as with Los Blancos.

Arsenal were in advanced talks with Vinicius Junior’s camp, but in the end, the winger signed a new contract with Real Madrid until 2032.

Vinicius Junior was expected to step up his game after signing the new deal, but the 26-year-old has been largely underwhelming.

The Brazilian superstar has scored only one goal and provided just three assists in 10 matches in all competitions for Madrid so far this season.

Vinicius Junior was sent off against Villarreal last weekend for pulling the hair of Nathan Saliba and was given a four-game ban, meaning that he will miss El Clasico against Barcelona.

Madrid will take on Sevilla at the Bernabeu in LaLiga on Sunday, and ahead of the game, Mourinho has claimed that if he were Vinicius Junior, then he would have left for Arsenal in the summer of 2026.

Vinicius Junior should have ‘forced’ Real Madrid ‘exit’

ESPN quotes Mourinho as saying: “If I were [Vinícius], in his place, I probably wouldn’t be here.

“Last summer I would have forced my exit to a league, to a country, to clubs and stadiums where they’d respect him.

“But because he’s a Madrid fan, he has love for the club and the city, he believes things can always improve, he renewed, and he’ll keep that smile.

“I think there’s nothing or no-one that can take that away, that joy for living and working. He’s a great boy.”

When asked to clarify his comments, Mourinho said: “When he signed that contract, he signed it because Madrid is his home, and Real Madrid is his home.

“He’s one of the main sources of joy in that dressing room.

“What I said before was that I doubt I’d be able – as a player with lots of options – I doubt whether I’d be able to have his psychological strength, to hold on.”