Vinicius Jr set to stay at Real after positive contract talks

Arsenal’s pre-season stuttered in Dublin on Wednesday night, but the bigger story from the Aviva Stadium was Real Madrid’s decision to extend Vinícius Júnior’s contract after productive talks in Madrid. The Brazilian winger, long linked with a move to north London, is now expected to stay at the Bernabéu after the club improved their offer and his relationship with new coach José Mourinho eased negotiations. Arsenal, meanwhile, absorbed a 3-1 friendly defeat to Real Betis that offered few reassurances ahead of their Premier League opener in 11 days.

Vinícius stays put after talks with Mourinho’s Madrid

Real Madrid have moved decisively to retain Vinícius Júnior after a day of contract discussions at the club’s training ground. Sky Sports News understands the club upgraded their proposal during Wednesday’s meetings, and the forward—now in the final year of his deal—is set to sign a new agreement. The development ends Arsenal’s pursuit of the 25-year-old, who has been a consistent source of speculation since the transfer window opened.

Mourinho has made it clear he wants Vinícius to be a central figure in his first season at the club, and the winger’s strong rapport with the Portuguese manager has smoothed the path to an accord. Arsenal had been monitoring the situation closely, but the improved offer from Madrid removes the immediate prospect of a switch to the Emirates. The Gunners’ alternative targets now look set to take priority as Arteta reshapes his squad.

Betis expose gaps in Arsenal’s pre-season

Arsenal’s sloppy display against Real Betis provided little comfort ahead of their Premier League curtain-raiser. A 3-1 defeat in Dublin followed an error from Kepa Arrizabalaga that allowed Rodrigo Riquelme to open the scoring in the ninth minute, and Nelson Deossa doubled the lead with a long-range strike before half-time. Piero Hincapié pulled one back from Christos Tzolis’s corner, but Pablo Fornals restored Betis’s two-goal cushion moments later after Kai Havertz misplaced a pass.

Arteta introduced seven substitutes at the interval, including Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli, but the Gunners struggled to fashion clear chances against a well-organised LaLiga side. The defeat, their first of pre-season, came amid ongoing transfer activity, with Arsenal having agreed a £75m fee for Bruno Guimarães reported by Football on Sight. The Brazilian’s impending arrival offers some consolation, but the performance in Dublin raised questions about Arteta’s readiness for the new campaign.

What comes next for both clubs

For Arsenal, the focus shifts to the Premier League opener and the finalisation of their squad. Guimarães is expected to complete his medical in the coming days, adding steel to a midfield that has lacked bite in pre-season. Arteta will hope the new arrivals—including Tzolis, who started against Betis—can inject fresh energy, but the Dublin display suggested cohesion remains a work in progress.

Real Madrid, by contrast, can now plan with Vinícius at the heart of their attack. His contract extension secures one of Europe’s most explosive wingers through at least 2027, and Mourinho’s insistence on making him a protagonist should translate into more minutes and goals. The decision also frees Madrid to pursue other targets without the distraction of a potential departure.

With both clubs at different stages of their summer rebuilds, the contrasting narratives from Wednesday night underscore the stakes: for Arsenal, a chance to regroup before the league restarts; for Madrid, a clear signal of intent under Mourinho.

Arsenal’s next friendly is scheduled for Saturday against Bayern Munich, a fixture that will test their progress before the season’s first competitive fixture. Real Madrid, meanwhile, resume their campaign with a fixture against Celta Vigo on 15 August. The transfer window remains open for another fortnight, but for Vinícius, the destination is now decided.