‘He can be a problem’ – Why Arsenal ‘dodged a bullet’ by failing to sign Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr

The transfer saga reached a fever pitch when it appeared Vinicius Jr had reached a stalemate in contract negotiations with Los Blancos. Arsenal were reportedly optimistic about their chances of landing the superstar, but Petit pointed to recent behavioral issues as a reason for relief. He highlighted the player’s recent friction with former Madrid coach Jose Mourinho as a warning sign.

Reflecting on the player’s public image, Petit added: “Look at what happened between Vinicius Jnr 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 didn’t want to shake his hand.

“Vinicius Jr. receives so much stick from the fans, the press and social media but in those moments he is sending the wrong message. I think he is probably a bullet dodged for Arsenal looking at that moment.

“I would have loved to see a player with the talent of Vinicius Jr play for Arsenal but with his mentality and his ego I think it would have made for a really difficult situation to cope with.”